KK: The Rise & Fall Book 2 Part 1: Birth of a Jedi
by shanesnest
Summary: Sorry! A bit late, but here's Chapter 30 of Kyle Katarn: The Rise & Fall, Book 2: Birth of a Jedi. Things are angling towards the next mission, but not before a change you might not have expected! Please R & R!
1. Chapter 1

Kyle Katarn: The Rise & Fall Book 2: Birth of a Jedi Chapter 1: The New Assignment

Disclaimer: I don't own Kyle Katarn or any other copyrighted materials of Lucas Arts, Lucas Films, etc., etc. This story is pure fiction, springing from somewhere in my mind and based off the PC games and books by William Dietz.

A/N: Hello again, everyone! Shanesnest here a day later than normal but also with the continuation of my Kyle Katarn story. I so enjoyed reading the reviews and reactions everyone had to the last chapter of Part 1 and my crazy epilogue!

But dry any tears you may have cried at one ending and banish any fears of a lack of continuation. For here, my excellent friends, is the beginning of a new story. But first, let me answer the last Part 1 reviews.

Phygmalion: Yep, Mon Mothma knows a sure thing when she sees one! And in answer to your request, please check out this new chapter. You might just see a familiar name in it!! And in answer to your question, this one will follow (as closely as I can) the events of Dark Forces II: Jedi Knight

Da Unknown Reviewer: No worries man, glad to hear from ya anytime! Yeah, I had the same feelings. And thanks for all your reviews. Please enjoy this new "book".

Mach Farcon: Thanks man, glad you liked both chapters so much. And yeah, I managed to close without a cliffhanger, imagine that! As far as how their relationship will affect things, you'll see 'cause its coming.

I hope you know how much I appreciate your compliments! Hope you like the new story as well!

Tinuviel Undomiel: All right! Score for me! When I wrote that last part, I could just about imagine the reaction from you. Yeah, that whole idea came very last minute, but seemed to work well. Jan in a dress, I can't quite decided if she's happy with that or not, oh well. Hey, I always try and give my friends the best lines. 'Sides, with the all the encouragement you've given me, you deserved it! Well, plead no more, here's some of them for you!

Nerwen Aldarion: Yes! Double Score! I had a feeling that last part would get ya! And it did! As I said to Tinuviel, you deserved that part! Yeah, I based that on people I've known, so confident in one environment and completely awkward in another. No, definitely want your death on my conscience, but given your recent multiple reviews, I don't think it's gonna happen any time soon. Hope you like this one!

Gall 1485: My pleasure, it felt good giving credit to you all. Your support and reviews have made this fun for me!

Tig94: Thank you very much!

The Wineglass: I suppose you could argue that in several ways. There's a concept in theoretical physics that all possibilities of a situation are played in alternative universes, so maybe. Yeah, the whole books and parts things did make it a little confusing. I'll try and do better this time around. Yeah, this first part went way longer than I ever intended it to be! And I so agree with you about those who start off strong and then disappear or demonstrate writing skills barely above preschool level. I guess you're asking what I mean by Rise and Fall? Well, if you know the games at all, that'll give you a clue. If that doesn't help, let me know and I'll clarify it for you. Oh don't worry, I'll find a way to work you in.

Darth Demon 2: Glad you liked it. The epilogue was a little theater of the mind thing, me having a bit o' fun.

A/N: Whew! My fingers are tired. Oh well, such are the things that happen when you've got the kind of audience I do. And honestly, I wouldn't have it any other way!

Now, on to Part 2!

**Nebulon-B Frigate **_**Aspiration**_

**Hangar**

**Three years after Chapter 24 of Book 1**

_The only constant in life is change._

The man wondered where the phrase had come from. He knew it had come from his own mind, but wondered what had inspired it.

_Gettin' contemplative in my old age maybe._

The man smiled at this. He was not of an advanced age, unless one considered being 22 old.

Still, he _felt_ old sometimes. So much had happened in his life so quickly, contemplating it was nearly mind-boggling.

And today was proving to be no exception aside from the fact that he was not personally involved in events.

The communicator hanging from his belt dinged.

Grabbing the device, he brought it to his lips.

"Hangar bay."

"I need a status report," said another voice.

"The last group of ships just left, Commander. They should be forming up with the others momentarily."

"All right then," the other person replied, "get back up here. We need to get things set up."

"Understood," the man said.

"Bet you wish you were going with them," said the other man teasingly.

"Oh yeah?" the man replied back with equal sarcasm, "and what makes you so sure?"

"C'mon, Kyle," Commander Thonas said, "do you really expect me to believe otherwise?"

"I might," a smiling Kyle Katarn replied.

A chuckle came from the small speaker.

"Not likely," the head tactical officer replied, "now get up here. We need to make sure the long range communications and telemetry are ready to go.

"On my way," Kyle said, sparing one last glance around the practically empty room.

A little over ten minutes ago, the space had teemed with fightercraft, X-Wings and Y-Wings, B-Wings and A-Wings. He had watched as they passed, one by one, out of the hangar, drives flaring.

_I hope this works_.

He moved to the hatchway, the twin doors sliding aside at his approach.

Stepping into the corridor beyond the doors, Kyle began to walk down it when he realized there was a problem.

_I have no idea which way to go._

After all his time aboard the _New Hope_, and having gotten used to its layout, this Nebulon-B was new and fairly unfamiliar to him.

Kyle considered calling Commander Thonas back for directions, but decided against it.

_He'll just make fun of me again. No way am I letting _that_ happen._

Taking a chance, Kyle made his way up the corridor, keeping his eyes open for anything familiar.

Sure enough, here came someone in the opposite direction.

Scanning the man's uniform, Kyle spoke aloud.

"Crewman."

The man stopped and looking at Kyle; smiled as he recognized him.

"Commander Katarn," he said, saluting.

_I wish people wouldn't do that_, Kyle thought, returning the salute after a moment.

"Crewman," he said, "location of Tactical?"

Kyle kept his face neutral so as not to betray any of what he was feeling.

_Hopefully_, he thought, _this guy won't make the connection_.

"Yes, sir," said the crewman, pointing with his hand, "you take a left just ahead to the turbolift and go up two decks. Tactical is only a short distance from the main bridge."

"Very good, crewman," Kyle said, "thank you."

"No problem, sir," the man said, saluting again.

Returning the salute, Kyle gratefully followed the man's directions.

**Nebulon-B Frigate **_**Aspiration**_

**Tactical**

Passing through the entrance to the room, Kyle saw Commander Thonas working with two of the engineering technicians.

"Reporting for duty, sir," Kyle called.

"Well," Thonas said, looking up, "looks like you're doing better; didn't get lost this time."

_Like I'd ever admit to it to you_, Kyle thought.

"No, sir."

Thonas stared at him for a moment, and then with a quick smile, spoke.

"Take your station. I need you monitoring Blue Squadron."

"Understood," Kyle said, moving to his spot.

Fortunately, the stations for Tactical on the _Aspiration_ were very similar to those on the _New Hope_.

Kyle adjusted his instruments, homing in on the communication frequency for Blue Squadron.

He listened to the chatter among the pilots as they formed up.

Just then, one of the engineering technicians spoke.

"And… there! That's got it, Commander."

"You're sure?"

"Yes, sir," said Catiene Tails, "you're wired directly into the hyperspace comm network."

"And the telemetry feed from _Home One_ is coming in perfectly," added Luntic Pandora, "you'll be able to have a constant real time data feed coming in."

"Excellent," said Commander Thonas, "well done you two. This matters more than you know."

"Anytime, Commander," said Luntic Pandora.

"We love a challenge," added Catiene Tails.

After a quick check of both systems, Thonas dismissed the technicians.

With an audible "click-hiss", the room's overhead speaker came on.

"Attention all hands," said a voice, "we are T-minus five minutes from mission start. All section leaders, report your readiness."

Thonas moved to a comm panel.

"Tactical to Bridge."

"Bridge here," said a voice, "go ahead."

"Tactical is green."

"Affirmative," the voice replied.

Closing the channel, Thonas addressed the room.

"Attention!"

Kyle, along with the other tactical staff, turned away from his station and came to attention.

Thonas waited a brief moment before speaking.

"All right, everyone. It's nearly go time. I need each of you to do your absolute best today. We may not be going into the fight directly, but our work is no less important than those who _are_ going. Understood? Any questions?

There were none.

"Good," Thonas said, smiling at the group, "let's get to work."

The tactical staff turned back to their consoles.

Kyle felt a slight tingling in his body, a feeling of anticipation.

_This is really happening. The Rebellion is really going to do this._

He considered what was going on all around him. A few months ago, the rumor mill on the ship had begun to buzz with stories of a massive new Imperial construction project. At Mon Mothma's instruction, First Lieutenants Tinuviel Undomiel and Nerwen Aldarion, had investigated the matter.

The results of their investigation had sent shockwaves all over the Rebellion. Some didn't or wouldn't believe it, but even the most vocal doubters were silenced when the co-heads of Intelligence had received the first images via the Rebel spy network.

It seemed impossible, but in the end, no one could deny it was true.

The Empire was building a second Death Star.

In a nondescript Outer Rim sector, an otherwise forgettable planetary system quickly took center stage. Or more specifically, the fourth moon of the system, a planet called Endor.

Situated in orbit of the planet, the new Death Star seemed to loom over Endor almost like a floating corpse, particularly since it was still under construction, sections of it sticking out into space like the tendrils of some metal beast.

Further analysis revealed this new battle station was even larger than the first Death Star and its prime weapon, the planetary destroying super laser, verified to be even more powerful than the original one.

But what had caught the interest of Rebel command was the news that, in its current state, the Death Star was not fully operational. This included its weapons and drive systems along with most of its hangars.

But the real clincher had been the news that Emperor Palpatine himself would soon be coming to inspect the new Death Star.

Given its seemingly defenseless state, the senior leaders of the Rebellion had decided, after much deliberation, to launch an all out attack with the goal of destroying both the battle station _and_ the Emperor.

Further intelligence _had_ detected the presence of an energy shield in place around the station. This shield was being generated from a station somewhere on the surface of Endor. In a briefing broadcast all over the fleet from the flagship _Home One_, Kyle had listened to Mon Mothma, General Madine and Admiral Ackbar describe the plan.

A team lead by newly minted General Han Solo would head for the surface of Endor and destroy the station generating the shield surrounding the battle station. Once that was done, Rebel starfighters would fly into the Death Star and strike at its main reactor.

_Wow, _Kyle thought, as he listened, a_nd they call _me _crazy._

At the same time, Kyle knew he would have probably made the same decision. The chance to eliminate both the station and the Emperor… it was too big an opportunity to not take an equally big risk.

And so, aside from the _Aspiration_ and a few supply ships, every other Rebel capital ship, medium sized vessels and fightercraft had been committed to the operation.

Just then, the overhead speaker came on again, breaking into his reverie.

"Attention all hands," said a voice Kyle instantly recognized, "this is Mon Mothma. We are about to begin the mission against the second Death Star. Each of you knows the importance of what we are about to attempt. If our endeavor succeeds, we may be able to bring an end to this terrible war. The hopes and prayers of beings all over the galaxy go with you. May the Force be with you all."

Silence slowly filled the room, only the sound of the instruments breaking it. And so it was all over the fleet, each person letting Mon Mothma's words sink in.

"Attention all units," another voice interrupted, "we are two minutes from hyperspace jump. All ships; make your final checks and verify hyperspace coordinates."

Kyle smiled at hearing this one. The words themselves were of less importance than the person who spoke them.

_Sounds like she's doing well_, he thought.

A short distance away, on the bridge of the _Aspiration,_ Assistant Mission Officer Jan Ors was busy verifying that the plethora of ships was ready to go.

Kyle chuckled under his breath, remembering the encounter he had had with her only a few days ago.

Arriving on the bridge, his eyes had sought out and found her, leaning over a plotting table, eyes fixed on its surface.

Kyle stepped forward until he was directly behind her.

When he cleared his throat, he did so softly, but Jan's reaction made him feel like he had shouted at her.

Visibly jumping at the sound, she whirled around, mouth open and ready to condemn whoever it was that had surprised her.

When she saw Kyle, Jan caught the angry words bubbling up from inside and swallowed them back down inside her.

Instead, she fixed a strong glare on him.

"What, Katarn?"

"And hello to you, Miss…"

Kyle's voice trailed off as his eyes took in Jan's clothes.

_She's wearing a uniform and that insignia…_

"Forgive me," he said, catching himself, "Commander Ors."

Jan's smile at him showed both her happiness and pride.

"Since when?" he asked.

"Since I was assigned here," she said, lifting an eyebrow at him, "got a problem with that?"

"No, no" he said expansively, maintaining an air of nonchalance.

Then, just loud for her to hear, he muttered, "Copycat."

"I am not!" she hissed back, glaring at him again.

"Are too," he returned.

"Am not," she growled.

"Are too plus infinity" he said and then before she could retort, he held out the datapad he was carrying.

"Latest assessment from Tactical on the telemetry network," he said loud enough that a few heads turned in their direction.

Unable to say anything derogatory without garnering unwanted attention, Jan instead displayed her strongest glare.

Kyle seemed to brush it off, a small smile on his face.

"Very well," she said, just able to keep her voice from betraying the emotions she was feeling.

"Of course, Commander," Kyle said, giving her a lazy salute, "will there be anything else?"

_All right, Katarn, _she thought, _if that's the way you wanna play it…_

"No," she answered evenly, returning his salute, "that will be all. Thank you, Mr. Katarn."

As Kyle turned to go, Jan took a stepped forward.

"I'm going to get you for this, Kyle," she whispered.

Normally, he would have smiled at such a statement. But something in the way Jan had said it, coupled with her expression…

_I think I'm in trouble._

And so it was that Commander Thonas had somehow learned of his difficulties navigating the _Aspiration_.

Kyle knew he could never prove it was Jan who told, but he strongly suspected.

_All right,_ he thought, _fine. I'll show her. I'll learn the layout of this ship better than anyone._

Later on, he realized that that had been a fool's promise. The Nebulon B was just too different.

Just then, the voice of Admiral Ackbar came over the speakers, interrupting his thoughts.

Both operatives heard the Mon Calamari's voice as he gave orders to begin the final countdown.

In Tactical, Kyle and his compatriots turned to the master display screen as the first ship, the Corellian freighter _Millenium Falcon_ leapt into hyperspace. It was followed a second later by a group of X-Wings, then another Nebulon-B frigate.

Less than ten seconds later, the crowded space outside the _Aspiration_ was all but empty, the last of the Rebel fleet having successfully made it into hyperspace.

Everyone went back to their terminals, although there wasn't much to do at the moment except wait for the fleet to arrive at their destination.

An hour passed.

Lieutenant Taxus Phygmalion, who was monitoring the data coming in from the fleet, called out.

"Commander! Receiving updated telemetry. The fleet has exited hyperspace!"

"Excellent," Thonas said, matching the other's smile, "continue to monitor."

On the bridge, Jan didn't share the smile of the other bridge officers.

_Not until this new Death Star is turned into floating space junk. Then I'll celebrate_.

She thought briefly of Kyle and felt her lips curl in a small smile, but then forced it away.

_I have to stay focused_.

There was a sudden burst on the comm frequency Kyle was monitoring.

"Commander!" he called, "something's wrong! Blue Leader is reporting that the shield around the Death Star is still up!"

The blood drained from Thonas' face at hearing this. He looked to Phygmalion who nodded, confirming the report.

And if that hadn't been enough bad news, Commander Wedge Antilles, leader of Red Squadron, radioed in about the presence of the _Executor_ along with several other Star Destroyers.

The picture was coming clear now.

It was Admiral Ackbar who said what everyone was thinking.

"It's a trap!"

With the blare of collision alarms and bursts of confused and conflicting comm traffic, the organized Rebel fleet broke up, formations in complete disarray. An attempt was made at retreat, but the fleet soon found itself swarmed by multiple groups of TIEs, fighters, Interceptors and Bombers.

At the orders of their commanders, The Rebel fighters broke formation and attacked.

Though they were in separate places, Jan and Kyle both had the same thought.

_What do we do now?_

Then had come the call from General Calrissian aboard the _Millenium Falcon _that no one was expecting.

"Commander," said another of the crew monitoring comm traffic, "I think General Calrissian just told Admiral Ackbar to engage the Star Destroyers.

Kyle looked to Thonas, who wore an expression of disbelief.

But as Phygmalion relayed additional information and more comm traffic came in, it was clear that the Rebel Fleet was attempting to make a stand.

And for a time it seemed it might work.

But then had come the Empire's trump card.

And when the moment happened, it was so unexpected that it took all of Tactical a full minute to sort out what had happened through the confused crush of comm traffic and telemetry readings.

"Commander!" called Phygmalion, "cruiser _Liberty_ has been hit! She… she's gone."

"How?" Thonas asked.

"I'm not sure," the officer said, confused expression mirroring his words, "Sir, it seems impossible, but our readings… our readings indicate it was fired on by the Death Star."

"That can't be!" Thonas exclaimed, "It's not operational, or… is it?"

Confirmation of the Death Star's functional superlaser came after another Rebel cruiser was struck by it.

The magnitude of the trap the Empire had set was impressed on everyone. Sandwiched between Star Destroyers and an operational Death Star, it seemed that all was lost for the Rebels.

On the bridge, Jan was trying to handle another blizzard of information coming in from the fleet. A score of fightercraft had been destroyed and the remaining ones were outnumbered two to one by the TIEs.

_This can't be_, she thought, _this just can't be. Everything was in place, the intelligence had been verified. _

But as she listened to the incoming traffic, Jan slowly began to realize that she, along with so many others, had been deceived.

Deceived by the Empire.

Kyle was practically pessimistic about the situation.

_With the Star Destroyers blocking the fleets' escape and the Death Star operational… I don't see how we can win._

He thought of his friends aboard the _New Hope_, fearing he would never see them again_._

But, as night gives way to day; so did the course of events in the battle change and quite suddenly.

"Commander," called Phygmalion, "a new report from _Home One_! The Death Star shield is down!"

Thonas turned to Kyle.

"Confirm that!"

"Yes, sir!"

It took less than a minute.

"Commander," Kyle said, smiling, "it's confirmed! The shield is down and General Calrissian is leading all remaining fighters into the Death Star!"

"All right, all right," Thonas said, calming himself, "keep monitoring people. The battle isn't won yet."

"Yes, sir," came the reply.

On the bridge, Jan felt a rush of hope, but she tempered it.

_This is still far from over._

And while she _did _have a point, it became clear within the next ten minutes that the tide of battle had clearly switched to the Rebels. Jubilation swept the _Aspiration_ when Phygmalion confirmed a report that Darth Vader's flagship, the Super Star Destroyer _Executor_, was dealt a fatal blow.

"It's confirmed, sir," Phygmalion continued, "The _Executor _suddenly dropped out of space and crashed nose first into the Death Star!"

Both Jan and Kyle listened to the many triumphant calls from ships all over the Rebel Fleet.

Soon after, Commander Antilles reported in that the Death Star's main reactor had been hit.

Admiral Ackbar quickly ordered the fleet to move away from the Death Star.

And, with seemingly no time left, the_ Millenium Falcon_ was reported as safely escaping from the battle station.

Kyle heard the communication and was about to relay it when the overhead speaker came on.

"Attention all hands!" Jan's voice called, "we have received confirmation from the fleet that the Death Star has been destroyed! Repeat, the Death Star has been destroyed!"

Any semblance of order vanished as the staff in Tactical cried out in joy, some pumping their fists. All over the _Aspiration_, duties and obligations were momentarily forgotten as all celebrated the great victory.

By the time the _Aspiration_ and the other ships left behind at Sullust had rendezvoused with the rest of the fleet, the victory party was in full swing.

Celebrations went on for days, until Rebel leadership gently suggested that it was time for everyone to get back to work.

There was also the cost of the battle to count. Three line cruisers had been lost and many, many fighters.

But the news that hit Jan and Kyle the hardest was the loss of the _New Hope_. They had both called the cruiser home for a long time and now it was gone.

The only mitigating factor had been that all but five crew members had survived the destruction of the ship. Among them were Tinuviel and Nerwen, Chief Brolly and his staff and as Kyle discovered, everyone that had been on his team to create the plan to rescue Jan from General Mohc.

So it was that the two newest heroes of the Rebellion, along with a score of others, were left without a ship. In time, a new posting was chosen. But the solution was not one very many were happy about.

"This is something only a bureaucrat could have come up with," Kyle said when he had heard the news.

Jan had agreed and protested mightily when she learned of it. But no matter what either one of them said, the die had been cast.

With the destruction of the Super Star Destroyer _Executor_, some of the Star Destroyers had retreated while others had been destroyed.

To the surprise of Senior Rebel Command, a few Star Destroyer captains had chosen to surrender their ships. And so it was that these vessels, once objects of hatred and fear, became symbols of hope and justice.

The new billet of the majority of the _New Hope's_ crew was one of these captured Star Destroyers. Formerly called _Tormentor_, the ship was now under the command of an Elomin named Fundar Xoit and had been designated as Mon Mothma's flagship

And as the newcomers discovered upon arriving in the hangar bay, the vessel had been renamed.

"Welcome to the Star Destroyer _Intrepid_" a porter droid said to Jan and Kyle as they stepped out of a shuttle.

It was a moment of supreme irony when it asked them if they needed helped finding their quarters.

Unable to contain himself, Kyle laughed, shaking his head.

"No need," he said, looking over at Jan, "I know the way."

She wasn't smiling.

"Something funny, Katarn?" she challenged.

"Yes," he said, not hiding his smile, "being assigned here."

She ignored the comment.

"Of all the ships in the fleet…"

"It's pretty ironic when you think about it, "Kyle said, up till now, all we've ever done is try to escape from ships like this, and now we're assigned to one."

Jan moved closer.

"Are you going to be okay?" she asked, looking at him, "I know this can't be easy for you."

Kyle sighed.

"No… it's not. But this ship isn't the Empires' any more. It's part of the Alliance Fleet."

"True," Jan replied.

"And I'm just going to keep telling myself that till I actually believe it."

He tried to smile.

Taking a quick look around, Jan pulled him into a shadow created by the shuttle.

"Hey… Jan. What the…!" he protested.

Taking another look around, Jan spoke.

"Look at me, Katarn."

Kyle did so, finding her eyes looking directly into his.

"_Are_ you going to be okay? If not, we'll request assignment to another ship."

Kyle briefly considered it, then shook his head.

"No, "he said, "Let's stay. It won't be easy at first. But I'll get used to it."

"Are you _sure_?"

He smiled at her and before she could react, moved his face forward quickly and brushed her lips with his.

"Yes, I am Jan," he said, confidence in his voice, "thanks for caring."

Feeling a bit embarrassed at Kyle's sudden action, Jan's cheeks reddened.

"Someone has to," she said, "now let's get out of here before someone sees us."

While Kyle couldn't have cared less about that, he and Jan had talked about this.

It had been a few days after the dance and the kiss afterward.

"But why don't you want anyone to know?"

Jan's expression wavered slightly. She was dead set on this but didn't want to be mean to him.

"Kyle, we're in the middle of a war. I don't think a shipboard romance is going to be looked upon well."

He dismissed that excuse right away.

"Jan, we wouldn't be the first or only couple in the Alliance. What about those Zabrak aboard the _Justice, _or the other couple on _Alliance One_?"

"Neither of them report directly to Mon Mothma, Kyle. We do. And besides, given the nature of our missions, don't you think she'd worry that our feelings for each other would get in the way of us doing our jobs well?"

"If she thinks that," he countered, "Then she doesn't know us."

"I know that," Jan said, "but we can't take the risk. Not now."

Realizing that fighting her on this was already a lost battle, Kyle relented.

"I don't agree with you Jan. But I'll go along… for now. Good enough?"

She answered by kissing him.

"Wow" Kyle said when their lips parted, "if I'd know that was going to happen, I would have said yes a lot sooner."

She raised an eyebrow at him.

"Uh-huh."

And so now, Kyle did his part, waiting as Jan moved out of the shadow before following her a few seconds later.

She looked around the vast hangar bay once again.

"I don't know if _I'll _ever be comfortable here."

Kyle suddenly moved to her side, right arm across her shoulders. With his left, he gestured towards the ceiling.

"Fear not, Miss Ors," he said loudly, looking and acting like a pulp hero in a holo drama, "As your sworn protector, I promise to save you from all the bugaboos out there."

Taken in for a moment, Jan stared quizzically at Kyle's face.

"How does that sound?" he said, grinning at her.

Jan's dreamy expression hardened into a frown.

"You've got three seconds to let go, Katarn."

Kyle immediately released her.

Jan moved forward, intent on leaving him behind. But it occurred to her that she no idea how to get to her quarters.

She turned to look at Kyle, who was purposely not looking at her, even as he was fighting not to laugh at her.

_I hate it when he does that._

"Get over here and show me the way, Katarn."

"Right away," he said, smiling broadly.

Catching up to her, Kyle started walking, Jan right with him.

A sidewise glance at him infuriated her all the more. He was coughing, try not to laugh.

"It's not funny, Katarn," she said firmly.

"Says you," he returned.

She fixed a glare on him, but it seemed to have little effect.

They walked in silence for a time.

Passing through a hatch, the pair faced one of the _Intrepid_'s main corridors.

_I hope we're not walking the rest of the way,_ Jan thought.

"Jan?"

She turned to him.

"What?"

Kyle was standing by a repulsor scooter.

"It'll be faster this way," he said, indicating the repulsor-equipped device.

Without a word, she got on the scooter with him, remaining silent as Kyle started the scooter and put it in motion.

Jan looked around as they traveled, feeling increasingly uncomfortable.

Suddenly, she felt a slight pressure on her left hand.

She looked down and saw Kyle's right hand hovering close.

Looking up, she saw him earnestly looking at her, the grin from before replaced with a serious expression.

She responded by reaching out with her left hand and taking his.

He smiled at her.

"It'll be okay," he said.

Jan looked away, feeling suddenly embarrassed.

They traveled a bit longer.

"Thank you," she said quietly, just loud enough for him to hear.

"Anytime, partner," he replied.

**Some Random Star System**

**Who Knows Where**

Unbeknownst to Kyle or Jan, but knownst to us, events were taking shape, events that would soon have a direct impact in their lives.

And when all was said and done, lives, fates and fortunes would be changed forever.

A small, blue-orange world was the only attraction of any kind in this forgotten system. Several million miles away, a much smaller planetoid was visible.

This moon, colored in varying shades o f gray, seemed to have a whitish halo about it, reflecting light from the system's K-type star.

With no habitable worlds and little in the way of mineral or other resources, this star system was normally quiet and still.

In an instant, however, the quiet and stillness was shattered.

A CR90 Corellian Corvette slid over the moon, tumbling end over end uncontrollably, the middle part of the ship enveloped in an orange-white corona of explosion and flame.

A moment later, the moon was eclipsed in shadow as a dagger-like prow appeared.

As it flared out, growing wider and longer, the object one of the Empire's Star Destroyers.

But where Star Destroyers were a whitish-gray, this ship was so dark it nearly blended into the background of space.

It was also several hundred meters longer, so much so that as the full ship came into view, its dimensions seemed positively ridiculous.

The most notable part of the vessel was it bridge, or lack thereof. Star Destroyers boasted a tall bridge that loomed over the rest of the ship and was capped by the massive domes of the shield generators.

This ship's bridge, however, was squat and squarish, the only adornment a small flaring out of the square on the back.

It possessed no name or designation. Its construction having been financed through many secret funds and shell companies, all designed to disguise the identity of its owner.

This ship did not belong to the Empire either. And no one outside a very small circle of individuals even knew of its existence.

It was a dark ship, owned by an equally dark man whose dark presence pervaded the entire vessel.

And at this moment, on that squat, squarish bridge, events were transpiring.

Former Jedi Qu Rahn watched helplessly as the body of the captain of the corvette that had been destroyed fell to the deck, eyes open but seeing nothing.

Had it been only 36 hours ago that those same eyes had been full of life? The corvette had arrived most unexpectedly on the planet Rahn now called home, and had intended to spend the rest of his days on. The captain and some of his crew had arrived by shuttle just outside Rahn's hut.

The knock on the door had surprised the old Jedi. It was early evening and aside from Geiji, who should have been home by now, Rahn wasn't expecting visitors.

As he approached the door, he felt a prickle in his mind, a sense of something about to happen.

When he opened the door, their stood the corvette captain, wearing a non-descript red jumpsuit. The three crew members were similarly attired in gray jumpsuits.

"Good evening," Rahn had said cordially.

"Are you Qu Rahn?"

A nod.

"I'm Captain Byost Renax and there are some of my men."

Rahn opened the door wider, sensing the man had something important to tell him.

"Please, Captain, come in, your crew as well. May I offer you something to drink?"

"No thank you, Master Rahn."

"Please," the old Jedi said, "just call me Rahn."

Taking seats, the three crewmen watched silently as the captain leaned forward and spoke.

"Mas… Rahn, this may sound unusual. But I've been sent on a mission to retrieve you."

"Oh?" said Rahn, genuinely surprised, "by whom?"

"Jedi Master Luke Skywalker."

Rahn took a moment to absorb that. News was hard to get out this way, but when the Empire had fallen, the shockwaves had radiated all across the galaxy, particularly regarding the deaths of the Emperor and Darth Vader. He had also heard about Skywalker and learned he was a Jedi. Hearing the old title had warmed Rahn's heart.

After the great purge during the fall of the Old Republic, it seemed as if the Jedi would disappear from the face of the universe. But now…

"And what exactly does Jedi Master Luke Skywalker wish of me?"

Captain Renax responded by removing an object from one of the jumpsuit's pockets.

"Perhaps you should hear it directly from him."

Rahn watched as the captain activated the device. A holo field coalesced, displaying a ¼ size version of Luke Skywalker.

Rahn studied the young man, adorned completely in black, blond haired and blue-eyed. And there, at his hip, hung the unmistakable metal shaft of a lightsaber.

In the image, Skywalker bowed.

"Greetings to you, Jedi Master Qu Rahn, I am Luke Skywalker, a Jedi like yourself. I recently learned of your existence through a Jedi Holocron.

_A holocron?_ Rahn thought, _do those devices still exist? And where did Skywalker find one?_

"There are not many Jedi in the galaxy, Master Rahn. And many who are still hide even today. I am in the process of creating an academy of sorts, a place for Jedi to gather, learn and teach new Jedi in the ways of the Force. I would like your advice and counsel in creating this place and possibly serving as an instructor. If you are agreeable to this, Captain Renax has orders to transport you to Coruscant, where I will be waiting. I look forward to meeting you, Master Rahn. May the Force be with you."

And with that, the message ended; the hologram fading.

"So that's it," said Captain Renax, "the only thing I need now is your reply."

Rahn felt torn, feelings of exhilaration and sadness running through him. Listening to Skywalker's message, he had sensed the sincerity, the honesty and some naiveté as well. The idea of being with other Jedi again was an exciting prospect.

But then, he considered his life here, the people he knew and cared for. Could he leave them? And what of this Skywalker? Was he really a Jedi, or perhaps a Sith in disguise?

_He wouldn't be the first_, Rahn thought.

He was silent for a long time, considering what to do, weighing the options and searching the Force for an answer.

But, the Force was mysteriously silent on this.

Ultimately, he decided for the moment not to decide.

"Captain, while I appreciate the time and effort it took you in coming here, I wonder if I might ask your indulgence in this matter."

"Sir," Renax said, confused.

"I would like to sleep on this and let you know tomorrow morning."

"Oh!" Renax exclaimed, smiling, "of course. A few hours one way or another won't make that much of a difference."

Rahn inclined his head.

"Thank you, Captain."

"No trouble at all… Rahn. My crew and I will return to our ship for now and return tomorrow morning."

"That would be fine.

Rising from their seats, Renax and his crew shuffled outside and back to their shuttle.

Rahn listened as the repulsors lifted it into the air before being masked by the sound of the engines, which gradually faded as the shuttle headed back into space.

Knowing he wouldn't sleep, Rahn instead sat down on the floor of his hut and with some effort, crossed his legs. Then, closing his eyes and focusing on his breathing, he entered a meditative trance, looking deeper into himself and into the Force for an answer to his dilemma.

By mid-morning the next day and the return of Captain Renax, he had decided. It was hard to say goodbye to Geiji and his family. The young man tried very hard not to cry. But as the old Jedi approached him for a final word, the dam inside burst and Geiji had hurled himself forward, hugging Rahn tightly as his tears came.

The old Jedi spoke words of comfort to him, encouraging Geiji to continue studying and learning about the Force.

"All my possessions are now yours, Geiji. Use them well and became the man I know you can be."

Still sniffling, the boy drew himself up.

"I will, Master," he said, "I will. I swear it."

Then, with his own emotions threatening to surge out of control, Rahn had turned away and boarded the shuttle, purposely not looking outside as it ascended.

Captain Renax had the ship break orbit and set course for Coruscant immediately. But after nearly a day in hyperspace, the corvette had been roughly yanked out of it.

And before it lay the black shape of the ship Rahn stood on now. He and the captain had been taken prisoner by a young man in a black and gray outfit, accompanied by a massively built and ugly alien who had found every opportunity to push them on the way over from the corvette.

And then, to the horror of both men, the black ship fired on the corvette, turbolasers cutting deep, terrible rents in the armor until the vessel had tumbled away, on fire.

Rahn could only imagine the crew's fate, trapped aboard their dying ship. In comparison, the captain had only suffered a short time.

And now, as a platform descended from an upper deck, Rahn began to realize that his fate too, was sealed.

Standing on the platform were two humans and a very ugly, pale skinned, red-eyed Twilek, sporting a leather shoulder sash across its upper body. On its pale face was a wide smile, as if to suggest happiness when it really reflected the creatures' madness.

Though one of the humans wore a cloak, Rahn could see enough to tell the figure there was female. Even from a distance, her piercing ice blue eyes were visible against her pale skin. She looked coolly at him.

But the figure next to her was all too familiar to Rahn.

_Jerec_.

A long time ago, Jerec had been a simple archaeologist, later trained as a Jedi by the famed Jedi archaeologist, Jocasta Nu. However, Jerec rejected the teaching of the Light Side of the Force and delved deeply into records of the Sith. His research and study had perverted hi s sense of right and wrong as well as dark and light.

And then, when Order 66 had seen thousands of Jedi killed, a group of Dark Side adepts had taken Jerec in, their teachings leading him to become a powerful Dark Jedi. And where some may have found the lack of eyes to see a handicap, Jerec had instead used his "blindness" as a gateway to delve more deeply into the Dark Side to a point he could actually "see" through the Force.

When the news of Palpatine's death and the Empire's fall had reached him, Rahn had fervently hoped that so too had fallen the Dark Jedi.

But now, with Jerec standing before him, he saw that his hope was no more than a dream.

Jerec stepped forward, his black robes with the strange symbols emblazoned on the lapel and red shoulder patches silently moving with him.

Rahn had not the slightest doubt what was going to happen. And as such, he strongly wished to have it over and done.

Behind and to his sides, arranged in a rough semi circle were four more beings.

On the immediate right was the young man who had come onto the corvette. He stood silently, watching things with a distracted air.

Not so with creature standing directly behind him. With a reptilian face not unlike a Transdoshan, but wider and heavier, this being seemed positively charged with energy; waiting for the slightest slip up from Rahn to have a reason to strike.

The two beings to his left also seemed charged with energy, but it was under control.

The larger of the two was a huge being almost two meters taller than Rahn. It sported a helmet-faceplate combination that obscured most of its features, except for a wide, flat nose and two milky eyes.

And then there was the other one. Looking almost a little bit like Yoda, but with a flattened head, an almost porcine nose and evil-looking expression, the second creature spent most of its time perched on the larger one's shoulders, eyes constantly moving about, as if looking for the slightest sign of trouble.

Suddenly, Rahn felt himself pushed from behind.

And rather than resist, he allowed the figure behind him to push him onto his knees on the floor.

Focusing on the former Imperial Inquisitor, Rahn spoke.

"Why hesitate? Strike me down."

To his surprise, Jerec smiled; a smile that on anyone else would have looked kind.

In a quick motion, the Dark Jedi had knelt beside him his mouth near Rahn's right ear.

"In time Rahn," Jerec said," his voice like silk, but with a slight edge to it, "but first there is something I need from you."

And with another quick motion, Jerec rose back to his feet.

Disgusted at the idea of assisting the Dark Jedi, Rahn scoffed at it.

But then, as Jerec finished rising to his feet, the smile faded from his face and reformed itself into a mask of concentration.

Rahn suddenly felt icy fingers probing at his mind, digging, turning, twisting, seeking something, a specific target.

He tried to fight it, to erect mental blocks against the intrusion, but Jerec put more energy behind his mental assault and broke down wall after wall. Memories and images streamed across Rahn's mind as Jerec poked his "nose" into every little crevice.

And then they both saw it.

Jerec inhaled suddenly and Rahn felt the mental assault end.

"Morgan Katarn!" Jerec said loudly.

Though he didn't show it, Rahn felt a measure of defeat at not being able to hide this from Jerec.

The Dark Jedi licked his lips.

"So," he said; his voice silky again, "this dead man holds the secret of the valley's location. How interesting."

The smile was back and Rahn fought not to react to it.

Jerec suddenly knelt next to him again.

"I have no more use for you, old man."

Then, to the surprise of everyone standing around, particularly Rahn himself, Jerec got up, turned and strode away.

_What is he doing? _Rahn thought.

On the heels of that thought came a desperate impulse, a thought of possible escape.

Looking to his right, Rahn saw the lightsaber clipped to belt of the young man in gray and black.

He concentrated and the cylinder flew towards him.

Grasping it, Rahn pushed up and forward onto his feet, igniting the blade. A bright yellow beam issued from the pommel, flaring brightly in the darkened space.

Swinging the blade, Rahn attempted to strike, but the young man's reflexes were sharp and he jumped away from the energy blade.

From the platform in front of him, he heard the Twilek call something in its language. Suddenly, twin blue blades lit up as it displayed a pair of lightsabers.

Rahn attempted to strike at the alien, but it also dodged

Then, with a deep, sharp _snap-hiss_, as possibly the largest lightsaber blade Rahn had ever seen materialized into existence.

The large being to his left swung the huge shaft of energy effortlessly.

Rahn caught the blow on his own blade, feeling the shock of the impact ripple across his arms. He could feel the strength of the large being through the contact.

But with a quick slide of his blade underneath the others, Rahn struck back only to be blocked himself.

Pushing away, Rahn turned a partial circle away from the large being.

The harsh guttural sound reached the old Jedi's ears even as he felt brief resistance to the lightsaber blade.

Looking, he could see that his circle had turned him towards the reptilian that had been behind him.

The turn had sent the lightsaber slicing into the alien's middle, neatly slicing in half, the top portion of its body falling to the deck even as a screamed issued from its mouth.

Rahn felt a moment of brief satisfaction at this, but it soon vanished as the woman who had stood next to Jerec also brandished a lightsaber, its blue blade in contrast to the yellow one Rahn carried.

Taking the initiative, Rahn charged and slashed at her, but she successfully dodged his attack.

And as she did, Rahn saw his chance.

There ahead of him, completely unprotected, stood Jerec.

_This is it!_

With a cry, he ran at the Dark Jedi, brandishing the saber.

But Jerec, seeming to sense the attack coming, turned with a dancer's grace and poise despite his flowing robes.

Out came his lightsaber, blood red the color of the blade.

There was a crash of energy against energy as Rahn passed by Jerec, their lightsabers briefly meeting.

Both men turned to face each other.

But even as Rahn prepared his next attack, Jerec raised his right hand in a simple motion. Energy gathered on the gloved palm and in a flash, struck out and surrounded Rahn.

The old Jedi felt as if every ounce of his strength had been ripped away. His mind was suddenly a jumble of confusion, keeping him from thinking, much less acting.

The hand carrying the lightsaber fell to his side and then to the ground as he dropped it.

_So tired,_ Rahn thought.

Falling onto his knees once again, the old Jedi's eyes registered the form of Jerec.

The Dark Jedi was laughing, an evil cackle reminiscent of the Emperor.

Advancing towards his helpless foe, Jerec gave a yell of his own as his lightsaber slid under Rahn's chin and passed through his neck.

A moment later, it was over as the severed head of Qu Rahn fell to the deck, followed by the decapitated body.

"Fool," Jerec said, standing over it, "you never had a chance. And now the Valley of the Jedi shall be mine."

He turned to the youngest of his Dark Jedi.

"Dispose of this."

"Yes Master, but what of Maw?"

"He still lives?" Jerec asked.

"Yes, Master," the young man answered, "but only barely."

Jerec walked over to the severed body of the Nikhto and glanced down. Blood had collected all over the deck and would seem to be a sure sign that the one whom the blood belonged to could not still be living.

But then he saw Maw, saw his face, felt the Dark Side radiating from his mind, encompassing the top half of his body.

"Sariss," he called.

"Yes Master," answered the woman in the black cloak.

Jerec pointed.

"Have him brought down to the medical bay and see what the droids can do with him."

"But Master," Sariss began, "surely Maw is…"

"Ssshhh," Jerec said, holding a finger to lips that had arcane tattoos at the edges, "do not merely look with the eyes, Sariss. Stretch out with your feelings and sense."

He watched as the young woman complied, her eyes closing.

A moment later, they snapped open.

"Master! I… Is it possible?"

"Perhaps," Jerec said.

Looking down, he spoke to Maw.

"The rest shall be up to you. I sense the pain, the anger within you. Use it. Use it to make yourself more powerful than ever."

Unable to speak, the Nikhto managed a brief nod.

"Then we shall proceed. Sariss?"

"Yes Master," the young woman said.

She looked to the large being.

"You, take Maw down to Medical."

"And why should we?" said the smaller alien, perched on the larger one's shoulder.

Sariss responded by executing a Force Push, sending the small being tumbling off the other's shoulder and to the ground.

The large being responded by reaching down and picking the other up; placing him back on his shoulder.

"Unless you wish more of the same," Sariss said, "obey my orders."

Though neither being said anything, the large one came forward and picked up the two halves of Maw's body.

Turning to where the turbolift doors were, it left.

"Well done, Sariss," Jerec said.

"Yes, Master," she said, allowing herself a brief smile.

**Rebel Star Destroyer **_**Intrepid**_

**Mess Hall**

**Five Months Later**

In the midst of his lunch, Kyle didn't see the person coming until he heard a throat clearing sound nearby.

Looking up, he saw Jan standing on the opposite side of the table.

She had a neutral expression on her face, which immediately made Kyle wonder what he had done wrong this time.

But a quick mental search of his day so far revealed no infractions. The two of them had had breakfast with some of the other crew earlier and the table conversation had been normal.

_Well, let's see what I can find out_.

"Hi Jan," he said cordially, "How's it going today? Had lunch yet?"

"Fine, and just a short bit ago," she replied, expression not changing, "there's something we need to discuss."

_Oh man, not the D-word._

"Oh-kay," he said hesitantly, "anything wrong?"

"No," she said, her lip twitching, "it's just that…"

Her lip twitched.

"Oh, blast," she said, "I can't hold this face anymore."

A smile replaced the neutral expression. Jan took a seat opposite and extended her right hand, which had been behind her back.

She was holding something.

"Happy Birthday." she said, offering it to Kyle.

Nonplussed at the sudden change, Kyle said nothing.

"Well, are you gonna take it or not?" she asked.

"Oh! Right!" he stammered, "right, thank you. "

He accepted the item from her, turned it over in his hands.

Jan looked expectantly at him.

"Um… not to be rude or anything, Jan," he said, "but what is it?"

The smile disappeared.

"There's a switch on it, Katarn. Try it."

Locating it, he flipped the switch.

A holographic field appeared in the middle of the device, nearly encompassing its entire circumference.

Kyle's mouth dropped open.

Inside the holographic field was an image of him from some time ago and next to him…

"Father," he whispered.

Indeed, the wizened face of Morgan Katarn, wearing his weather beaten farmers' outfit was there, looking at his son, a smile on his face.

The elder Katarn spoke.

"I just want you to know, son," he said, "while you're at the Academy, how proud I am of you. What a fine man you've become. I only wish your mother was here to see you. But I know she watches over you and is as proud as I am. After she died, your upbringing and welfare were all that I truly cared about."

The holographic field shimmered for a moment, and then faded away.

Kyle stared wordlessly at the device for several minutes. The message had brought back a forgotten memory. The day before he had left for the Imperial Academy, his father had sat him down and talked to him for a long while. At the time, Kyle had no idea his father had been recording it.

_It feels like an eternity since I last saw his face._

His heart thumped painfully and he felt strong emotion rise within him.

Sitting opposite him, Jan waited, trying to be patient but wondering what Kyle thought of her gift.

Finally, she could wait no more.

"Kyle?"

His eyes moved to look at her, and she could see the emotion in them.

"Where…?" he faltered, "how….?"

"At the last meeting with the black marketeers," she said, "this weird droid named 8t88 was offering a number of 'artifacts' as he called them. When I examined this one... well, it wasn't hard deciding."

Kyle's eyes were swimming with unshed tears.

"Jan," he said, working hard to get the words out, "I… this… what it means…"

She reached out and took his other hand, squeezing it tightly.

"You're welcome," she said, smiling at him. She had been worried what seeing the images would do to Kyle. But looking at him now, she knew without a doubt she had done the right thing.

Gently releasing Kyle's hand, she stood up.

"Wait a minute," he said, "How did you know today was my birthday?"

"Your friends in Intelligence clued me in about a month ago."

"Tinuviel and Nerwen," he said.

Jan nodded.

"Well I guess I shouldn't be surprised. There's not too much those two can't figure out when they set their minds to it."

"I agree," Jan replied, "and not to be mean or anything Kyle, but better you than me."

He raised both eyebrows at her.

"Oh, is that right? Well, maybe I'll need to have a discussion with them about a certain someone."

Jan didn't bat an eyelash.

"You sure you wanna do that?" she asked, her look saying what her words didn't.

Kyle stared at her for a moment, and then shook his head.

"Probably not," he said.

"I almost forgot," Jan said suddenly, "the two of them, Wexter and some others are planning a party for you later today, so make sure to act surprised."

Kyle took a moment to comprehend this.

"Um Jan?" he asked, "Isn't the idea of a surprise party to keep it secret?"

"Usually," she said, "that's why I told you to act surprised."

In a flash, Kyle realized what Jan had done for him.

"Thanks partner," he said warmly, "it's good to know you have my back like that."

She responded by smiling at him and squeezing his hand affectionately.

Then, with a glance at her chronometer, Jan stood up.

"I have to go on duty soon, "she said, "So I'll see you later. And Happy Birthday, Kyle."

"Thank you, Jan," he said, holding the holo emitter in both hands, "this is one I'm not likely to forget."

With one last smile directed at him, Jan left the mess hall. For the rest of the day, she had to consciously keep herself from smiling too much. It was hard as every time she thought had things under control, Kyle's smiling face would appear in her mind.

For his part of things, Kyle stayed in the mess hall a while longer, looking at the holo emitter and the message it contained. In time, he left the room and went to his quarters where he played the message once again, and this time let the emotions welling inside him come forth.

Later on, when a call from Nerwen prompted him to come to a nondescript room, he _was_ somewhat surprised at the party they had put together. Many familiar faces were there, including his old friend Caston Droum, who had mixed up a special elixir for the occasion. The only problem it was so strong that one glass was enough to make the imbiber feel quite lightheaded.

But all in all, Kyle found the whole event a delightful way to celebrate the beginning of his 23rd year.

However, even in the midst of celebration and good times, a change was coming, events that would completely reshape Kyle's view of his world and of himself, not to mention Jan.

For what neither of them knew, what neither of them could know was that the holo device Jan had presented to him earlier had more to it than met the eye. Inside the circuitry was one additional component, a small, but powerful transmitter.

And on a ship somewhere in space, a droid had received the signal.

_Excellent_, it thought, w_ith the holo emitter is now in Kyle Katarn's hands, I can proceed to the next phase of the plan._

Though he had given no sign, the droid had recognized Jan Ors at the meeting with the Rebels. And so, among the supplies that been sold to them, it had made sure the holo emitter was part of the deal, including enough information about the device to allow the woman to figure what it was and who it was for.

The droid inspected another item, different from the holo emitter, but no less important.

_Once I contact Katarn directly and show him this, setting up the meeting should be quite easy. Then perhaps I can find out what is so important about this human. _

So what'cha think? Looking forward to comments and reviews!


	2. Chapter 2: The Perils of Nar Shaddaa

**Kyle Katarn: The Rise & Fall **

**Book 2: Birth of a Jedi **

**Chapter 2: The Perils of Nar Shaddaa**

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A/N: Greetings to all! Shanesnest here with the newest chapter of Kyle Katarn: The Rise and Fall Book 2: Birth of a Jedi. Reaction so far has been very positive so I think it's safe to say y'all are enjoying it so far. Sorry about the cliffhanger right off the bat in Chapter 1. It's a bad habit of mine. The end of this one should be a little less tense. But before we begin, some shout outs.

Tinuviel Undomiel: Yeah, I'm trying to create an air where they're more than friends but not exactly a couple yet. The whole idea about Jan giving Kyle the holo emitter just sorta came to me. I tried to give a certain air to the scene with Rahn and Jerec, to try and convey what the game cut scene shows visually.

Nerwen Aldarion: You do, but that knowledge has been very beneficial for me! I was hoping you'd like the Kyle/Jan interactions. Yeah, as I said to your sister, I figure right now they're more than friends, but less than a couple. Y'know, I just might consider your suggestion, it'd be awfully funny! Yeah, they're in the special scene on the super secret bonus track. ;) No, definitely no two years to finish this one, not gonna do it!

Hitman Nx: A pleasure to hear from you again! Y'know that whole heading I wrote when I was felt like I just didn't want to come up with another made up name. Yeah, the character gained a real following after the Dark Forces game and sequels.

Mach Farcon: Thank you, I appreciate the compliment! I've got some friends who play paintball; it's definitely not a sport for sissies.

Tig94: Yeah, the path to Jedi Kyle Katarn begins. It is too bad about Rahn, but such are the things that happen. Yeah, good ol' Murphy's Law.

A/N: All right then, last time the story of Jan and Kyle continued with the beginning of events from the Dark Forces II game. So what happens next? Let's find out!

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**Rebel Star Destroyer **_**Intrepid**_

**Bridge Briefing Room**

**Six Months Later**

The door to the room opened, admitting Kyle and Jan.

"You two took your time," said Commander Thonas.

"It's a big ship," Kyle retorted, a bit aggravated at being summoned so suddenly.

He and Jan had been in the midst of replacing a section of the _Moldy Crow_'s hull and the sudden call had caused Jan to lose her grip, letting the hull section drop right onto Kyle.

Luckily, it had only given him a small bruise on the top of his head.

"Your message said it was important," Jan said, focusing on the reason for the summoning.

"Yes, it did," said Mon Mothma, standing nearby, "if the two of you would come over here."

She led them from the command walkway to the crew pits, stopping in front of communications.

"Do either of you know a droid named 8t88?" she asked.

Kyle shook his head.

"I do," Jan said, looking to Mon Mothma, "I met him during the supply run about six or seven months ago."

Mon Mothma nodded.

"Either of you had any further dealings with this droid?" Thonas asked.

Kyle and Jan both said no.

"Are you sure?" Thonas pressed.

Again, the pair said no.

"No contact at all?"

"Look," Kyle said, annoyed, "we just said we haven't talked to this 8t88. Is there some part of the word 'no' that confuses you?"

Thonas glared at him.

"You're out of line, mister."

"Out of line?" Kyle challenged, "You call us up here like it's some big emergency, criticize how long it took us to get here and then keep asking the same question even after we've answered it?"

"Kyle…" Jan said warningly.

"And then you tell me I'm out of line? Who exactly do you think you're talking to here?"

Face reddened with anger, Thonas spoke.

"I think I'm talking to someone who's about to spend some time in the brig if he doesn't watch his mouth. Furthermore…"

"Enough!" Mon Mothma said loudly.

Silence enveloped the room as both men saw the expression on her face and realized that the next words they said would be the last.

"Kyle," the Rebel leader said," I'm disappointed in you. Of all people, you should know better than to speak to a superior officer in such a tone. It's unbecoming of someone who went to the Imperial Academy."

Kyle looked away, feeling chagrined.

Thonas started to smile, but Mon Mothma wasn't done.

"And Commander," she said, addressing him, "I am quite surprised at you as well. If anyone is out of line here, it is you. Kyle and Jan have served the Alliance with distinction and have proven themselves to be people of character. I am very disappointed to see you treat them as any less than that."

Now it was Thonas' turn to look away.

Mon Mothma let the silence reigned for several seconds before speaking again.

"Now Commander, please explain exactly why you think Kyle and Jan have something to do with this droid."

"Yes, Mon Mothma," Thonas said, ten minutes ago, communications contacted us regarding a signal from this 8t88."

"So?" Kyle said.

"Katarn, don't push it," Jan whispered fiercely.

"The transmission is for you, Kyle," Thonas said, "8t88 wants to speak with you, and only you."

The wise ass look on Kyle's face was quickly replaced with one of surprise.

"Me?"

Thonas nodded.

"But I've never talked to this droid," he said to Thonas, "Heck, I've never even met him, seriously."

Seeing the earnestness in the other's face, Thonas began to wonder to suspect he had a mistake about Kyle.

"Well, that's strange," the head of Tactical said. .

"You're sure he wants me?" Kyle asked.

Thonas nodded.

"I tried talking to him, but he wouldn't budge. Just keeps repeating that he will only speak with Kyle Katarn."

"And he's given no clue as to what he wants to speak to me about."

"No," Mon Mothma replied, "that's why Commander Thonas and I were hoping you might know."

"Wish I did," said Kyle.

"Wait a minute," Jan said, "I might have an idea why."

"Oh?" said Mon Mothma

"During that supply run I mentioned, 8t88 approached me with an item, a holo emitter."

"A holo emitter?" Thonas emitted, "of what?"

For a moment, Kyle considered telling the man it was personal and private. But he also considered that the last thing he needed to do right now was make Thonas angry again. And besides, Mon Mothma had already warned him once, she wouldn't give him a second chance if he started something now.

"It's a recording my father made," Kyle said.

"May I ask of what exactly?" Mon Mothma entreated.

"It's kinda personal, Mon Mothma," Kyle replied, feeling a bit uncomfortable at describing the recording, "It was just before I left to go to the Imperial Academy and Father was sending me off."

"Nuts," Thonas said, shaking his head, "I didn't realize. I'm sorry for asking, Kyle."

"It's okay. You needed to know."

"Still…" Thonas began, then trailed off, clearly not happy with himself.

"In any case," Mon Mothma, breaking what could have been an uncomfortable silence, "the picture is becoming a bit clearer. Jan, you said 8t88 approached you with the holo emitter."

The operative nodded.

"Yes, in fact he was quite insistent that the emitter be part of the deal with the rest of the supplies and that it be given directly to me."

Thonas spoke up.

"An imbedded transmitter, I'll bet."

"I would tend to agree," Mon Mothma said, "Kyle, do you happen to have the emitter with you?"

"Sure," he said, reaching into one of his pockets and pulling out the device. He offered it to Mon Mothma.

"Thank you," she said, "you do realize it will need to be inspected?"

Kyle nodded and was about to speak when Thonas interrupted.

"I'll make sure the holo emitter isn't damaged, Kyle."

Hearing this, the younger man smiled.

"Thanks, I appreciate that. But there's something I'd like to ask."

"And that is?" said Mon Mothma.

"What is all the fuss over this droid? Maybe he's found some other recording of my father and wants to sell it to me, hence the desire to speak only to me?"

Commander Thonas and Mon Mothma both shook their heads.

"8t88 is no mere merchant droid, Kyle," Thonas said, "Intelligence has learned he's an information broker loyal only to the highest bidder. "

"Which makes it all the stranger that he wants to speak with you," Mon Mothma finished.

Kyle shrugged.

"I still don't understand why."

"Nor do I," Mon Mothma said, "which leaves us with only one option."

"I talk to him and find out, "Kyle said resignedly.

"Exactly," Mon Mothma said.

Kyle sighed, feeling a mixture of resignation and frustration.

"Let's get this over with then."

He moved to a panel with a display screen.

"I'm ready."

Mon Mothma called the bridge.

"Please send the signal on Channel YX-15 down here."

"It'll be just a moment, Mon Mothma," the comm officer said and signed off.

It was just under a minute before the display screen came to life and the panel indicators verified the incoming signal.

The screen showed static for a moment, then the face of the droid 8t88 appeared, or at least what appeared to be its face.

The droid's head looked like two rounded squares on top of each other with a slit in the area where a human nose would be. Sitting on an impossibly slender neck, the back of the droid's head followed roughly human lines, capped with dome-shaped part on the back of its head.

What made the droid particularly odd to look at were the three eyes. Just above the slit in its head and on either side were three differently sized and shaped eyes. On the right was a single, circular one colored purple. On the opposite side was a smaller, circular one colored white and a square red one beneath.

The droid also appeared to have two vocabulators, one a rectangle with one side of curving up under the left part of its face and the other a rectangular shape sitting vertically along the right side.

_Who the heck designed you_? Kyle thought.

"Are you 8t88?" he asked.

"Indeed I am, "the droid in a low pitched metallic voice, "my sensors indicate a 96% chance that you are the person I am looking for."

Kyle introduced himself.

"So what exactly do you want with me?" he asked the droid.

"As you may know," the droid said, "I am an information broker."

Kyle nodded.

"I have some information that may be of interest to you, Kyle Katarn."

"Something like the holo emitter you gave Jan?" Kyle asked.

"Something like that," the droid echoed, "perhaps."

"What information do you have?" Kyle asked directly.

The droid made a sound like a human going, "tsk, tsk".

"Over an open comm channel?" it said, "I think not. You will have to come meet me in order to get it."

"Why?" Kyle asked.

The droid said nothing.

"I asked you why," Kyle pressed.

The droid made a sound like a sigh this time.

"I am not accustomed to answering irrelevant questions. But let us say the information has something to do with Morgan Katarn."

_My father?_

"However," 8t88 continued, "if you are not interested, then we have nothing more to discuss."

Kyle was instantly distrustful of the droid. It was being so cryptic that his first instinct was to close the comm channel and go about his day.

But then he considered the holo it had sold Jan. If the droid was telling the truth…

"Okay, okay," he said quickly, "you want a meeting. When and where?"

"Come to the Rimmer's Rest on Nar Shaddaa. Get a private booth and wait for me there. And be sure to come alone?"

"When?" Kyle asked.

"Whenever you choose, I suppose," the droid said, "but sooner would be better, for you."

Kyle decided he knew something else about 8t88 beyond not trusting him.

He decided he didn't like this droid.

"Why should I come alone?" Kyle asked, hoping to get the droid to divulge some more information.

"Because _that_ is a condition of our meeting."

"All right, '88," he said, purposely mangling the droid's name, "Rimmer's Rest on Nar Shaddaa."

"My name is 8t88," the droid corrected.

"Whatever you say, '88," Kyle said, "see you soon."

The droid said nothing further and a moment later, the display screen went blank again.

Turning away from it, Kyle noticed Jan was looking disapprovingly at him.

"You have such a nice way with people," she said sarcastically.

Kyle made a dismissive gesture.

"It's just a droid," he said, "It's not like I hurt its feelings or anything like that."

"But you just had to try and antagonize it."

Kyle shrugged.

"Maybe."

Jan was about to say something else, but it was Mon Mothma who spoke first.

"Kyle, do you have any idea what kind of information 8t88 is referring to?

Kyle shook his head.

"None at all," he replied, "but then, I wasn't aware of the holo emitter either. "

"Then let me ask this," Mon Mothma said, "how confident do you feel that 8t88 is telling the truth, that he has some important information about your father?"

Kyle shrugged.

"It's possible. There's so much about my father that I never knew. Heck, before I came here, I had no idea he was a supporter of the Rebellion."

The Rebel Leader nodded at this, but still looked concerned.

"I still would like to know where and how 8t88 has come to possess both the holo emitter and this information."

"Me too," Kyle said.

"If you ask me," said Jan, "the whole thing feels squirrely."

"So Kyle," Commander Thonas said, looking at him, "what do you want to do?"

Caught by surprise at the question, it took Kyle a minute before he could answer.

"Well, "he said, "I personally have no real desire to go anywhere near Nar Shaddaa. The whole setup with '88 bothers me. It could be a trap.

"But?" Mon Mothma said.

He grinned at her.

"But," Kyle echoed, "the fact that 8t88 had the holo emitter makes me thinks he really _does _have information on my father."

Kyle thought a moment more.

"Bottom line, I think I should go to Nar Shaddaa and find out."

"Why am I not surprised?" said Mon Mothma.

"You _did_ ask, "Kyle teased.

The sound of a hand smacking the table caused everyone to look at Jan.

One look was all it took to see she was upset

"I don't believe what I'm hearing. This is so clearly a trap I'm surprised no else has said so."

"Jan…" Kyle began.

"And what about the danger of just going to Nar Shaddaa?" she demanded, "The Empire has splashed Kyle's face and description all over the Holonet. If they learn he's on Nar Shaddaa, every two bit bounty hunter looking for his next mark will be gunning for you."

"She has a point, Kyle," Mon Mothma said.

He nodded.

"Don't think it hasn't crossed my mind as well."

"But you're still going, aren't' you?" Jan asked.

Kyle nodded.

"Why?" she challenged.

"Because," Kyle said firmly, "I need to know."

"Kyle," Mon Mothma began, "if this is solely about your father…"

"No," he interrupted, "it's more than that. Consider that 8t88 took the time to figure out where I was and then managed to decipher one of the Alliance's comm frequencies, which are supposed to be triple-encrypted and 'unbreakable'"

Mon Mothma looked to Commander Thonas, who nodded.

"He's right. The droid contacted us on one of the secure frequencies."

"That's another reason why I need to go," Kyle said, "Not just to find out about my father, but to learn what '88's plans are, what exactly it's up to."

Silence reigned in the room until Jan sighed loudly.

"Fine," she said resignedly, then turned to look at Kyle, "but I'm coming with you."

Now it was Kyle's turn to protest.

"Now who's not being serious, Jan? Your face is as well known as mine. Besides, 8t88 said for me to come alone."

Jan didn't respond.

"Mon Mothma…" Kyle began.

The Rebel leader held up a hand.

"I agree with her, Kyle. You're going to need a mission in any case. So, if you truly want to go to Nar Shaddaa, it will be the two of you together or not at all."

Kyle considered saying something else, but one look at Mon Mothma's face told him he wasn't going to win the argument.

"All right."

"Good," said Mon Mothma, "with that settled, we'll leave you and Jan to come with a plan for the mission. Contact me as soon as you complete it.

Kyle nodded.

"Understood," Jan said.

* * *

**Rebel Star Destroyer **_**Intrepid**_

**Mission Planning Room**

Jan shook her head.

"I still don't like it."

Kyle let out a sigh of exasperation.

"You know," he said, glaring at her, "you can be a real…"

He stopped himself from saying the next word, doing so would only exacerbate things and result in a fight that he realized wasn't worth it.

Kyle forced himself to meet Jan's eyes, which seemed to be entreating him to finish his comment.

"We've been over this again and again, Jan. There's no way you can come to the cantina with me."

"You need backup," she countered.

Kyle nodded.

"I agree. But you're not seeing this clearly. There is no way 8t88 is going to come alone. He'll have spies all over the place. Once they spot you, everything falls apart."

"You're the one not listening, Katarn. I told you before I'd come in a disguise."

Kyle looked up to the ceiling for a moment to keep his temper from exploding.

Looking back to Jan, he said, "And _I _told _you_ any disguise you try isn't going to fool 8t88. He's a droid, Jan. He'll see through any disguise with one those eyes of his."

"You don't know that for certain," Jan argued, unwilling to concede the point.

"Maybe not," Kyle said, his voice a bit angry, "but you read the file from Undomiel and Aldarion in Intelligence. 8t88 has brokered deals all over the galaxy and everyone who's tried to cross him so far has ended up dead."

"All the more reason for me to be there," Jan said, her voice rising, "I…"

"Jan," Kyle said, forcing himself to speak calmly.

"What?" she said angrily.

"We're obviously not making any headway on this. How about we contact Mon Mothma and go over the plan with her? She can make this decision."

Jan said nothing.

"Please?"

Looking at his face, she realized Kyle was holding the olive branch out to her.

"All right," she said, her voice a little less angry.

Reaching for his communicator, Kyle contacted the Rebel Leader.

* * *

**Rebel Star Destroyer **_**Intrepid**_

**Mon Mothma's Briefing Room**

**Thirty Minutes Later**

"Enough," the elder stateswoman said, her tone amicable but also forceful.

In the midst of bickering with each other of whether Jan was accompanying Kyle to the bar or not, the pair heard the retort in their superiors' voice.

Having already antagonized Mon Mothma once today, Kyle and Jan both were getting well acquainted with Mon Mothma's non verbal cues.

And both realized the word "enough" in this case was a cue for both of them to shut up and listen.

Mon Mothma rubbed at her eyes, feeling a bit weary.

"You two have hammered away at this for almost ten minutes now and are clearly getting nowhere."

She waited a moment to see if either would interrupt.

When they didn't, she continued.

"It is clear you both are very passionate about this. But at the same time, this bickering is both pointless and completely unprofessional."

She saw that comment hit both of them. Neither of the operatives was meeting her eyes.

"Jan, your position about Kyle needing backup makes good sense. Sending in a single operative in a situation such as this is both dangerous and unwise."

Jan smiled.

"However, Kyle is right that 8t88 _would_ inevitably detect your presence, jeopardizing the entire mission."

Now it was Kyle's turn to smile.

"Therefore, it is my determination that Kyle goes to the cantina by himself and meets with 8t88. Assuming the droid is honest about exchanging information; Kyle will see what payment is desired and conduct the exchange. With luck, he'll leave the cantina with the information and contact Jan for pickup."

"But what if something goes wrong?" Jan asked.

Kyle looked at her. The sarcasm and anger in Jan's voice was gone. The question was being asked honestly.

"Then Kyle will have to take whatever measures he can to escape the bar and rendezvous with you," Mon Mothma answered.

Kyle could see Jan still wasn't happy with the plan.

"Very well," she said.

"Good," Mon Mothma said, "then, I want you both to get something to eat and get some rest. We'll begin preparations first thing tomorrow."

"Understood," Jan said, rising to her feet.

"We'll be ready," Kyle said, standing up.

With Kyle a pace or two behind, the two operatives left the room.

Once outside in the corridor, he quickly took the initiative.

"Have dinner with me?"

Jan looked at him.

"Why?"

"Why not?" Kyle responded.

She stared at him for a moment, and then sighed.

"All right."

They made their way to the ship's mess. After filling their respective trays with food, the two of them found a small table to sit at, Kyle sitting opposite Jan.

Neither of them said a word as they began eating, the scent of the food making them both realize how ravenous they were.

A short time later, Jan set her knife and fork aside.

"That's it, I'm full."

"Me too," said Kyle, wiping his hands on his napkin and placing it atop the tray.

They sat in silence for a moment.

Kyle took a look around, seeing only a few other personnel around, sitting some distance away.

"Jan?"

"What?"

"Look," he said, "I'm sorry, but the mission has to be this way. I just don't see any other way…"

"I know," interrupted Jan, "it's just that I have a bad feeling about this."

"You know I'm going to do everything I can to get out of there safely."

She nodded.

"Besides," he said, suddenly smiling, "I am letting you use _my _ship, after all. You should be happy."

"_Your _ship?" she countered, "listen buster, your ship would be a pile of spare parts if it weren't for me and Wexter."

"And _my _team," he said.

"You wouldn't even have a team if it wasn't for me," Jan said, rising to the argument.

"At least I'm a Commander, unlike some people," he said.

"For _one_ mission!" she protested

"Still…"

"Katarn…" she said warningly.

"Understood," he said, "shutting up now."

"Good," she said.

More silence.

Jan rose from her seat.

"I'm going to bed."

"Okay," Kyle said, "see you in the morning."

Jan started to walk away, stopped.

"Kyle?"

He turned to see her facing away from him.

"Yes?"

"Are you just going to sit there?"

"Huh?"

"Well," she said haughtily, "I'd think most gentlemen would offer to escort a lady back to her quarters. But perhaps I'm expecting too much of you. You're not exactly a gentleman."

Kyle shook his head. Jan had to know he couldn't let a challenge like that go unanswered.

He quickly stood up and caught up to her.

"Excuse me," he said.

She looked up at him.

"Yes?"

Kyle felt his heart beat faster as he looked down at her. His carefully prepared words vanished in an instant.

"Would you…"

He paused.

"I mean, may I… please may I…"

He paused again.

"Can I…"

Jan suddenly grabbed his left hand with her right hand and pulled.

"Let's go Katarn. By the time you form a complete sentence, it'll be morning."

Kyle felt his face grow warm with embarrassment.

He walked with Jan out of the mess hall and through the various corridors to her quarters.

Standing in front of it, she turned to Kyle.

"Thank you for dinner and our 'conversation'."

Kyle smiled back at her.

"You're welcome."

They stared at each other for a moment.

"Well then," Jan said quickly, "good night, Kyle."

"Good night, Jan," he said, turning and walking away while she entered her quarters.

* * *

**The planet Nar Shaddaa**

**16 Hours Later**

Sitting in a private booth all by himself, Kyle waited, his patience wearing thinner with each passing second.

The mission had begun well. As he normally did, Kyle was up early and preparing his gear. This included his new "uniform". The lightweight armor he had used in rescuing Jan had proven to be of little protection during battle. Other variants were developed and while some proved to be more flexible, they were just as vulnerable as the original.

After hours of testing with Chief Brolly, Mach Farcon and Atarn Daman, the decision had been made to focus on strengthening the personal shield, so that it would last longer in battle and provide Kyle protection against heavier weapons.

The result had come in the form of a dark brown, ellipse shaped shoulder guard that attached directly onto his outer shirt. Underneath, he wore a close fitting, but lightweight, gray shirt that contained the shield circuitry. Over this went an off-white shirt, made of a looser fitting and softer material. The shoulder guard contained three shield power cells; all much larger than the one Kyle had used before. It took better than a dozen close range blaster shots to take the shield down now.

The underarms of the shirt were colored a contrasting brown and made of a reinforced material to protect his side from a close range blaster shot and most knives. Just in front of the elbows, the loose fitting material gave way to a pair of close fitting, light brown armbands in which Wexter had managed to incorporate Kyle's datapad, shield monitor and communicator.

A pair of pants in a mottled brown color and high black boots completed the ensemble. Unsure at first how it would feel, Kyle quickly grew to like the "uniform". He had all the dexterity and mobility he was used to without being encumbered by armor.

Jan too, had gotten a new "uniform". Her outfit consisted of a long-sleeve white shirt, over which she wore a tan vest with pockets for her equipment. She also wore heavy gloves now, particularly when flying the _Crow_. The pants she wore were either gray or brown, accompanied by brown boots. Since her long hair had proven to be a problem and she loathed the thought of cutting, Jan had found a more effective solution.

Before a mission, she used heavy duty clips to put and keep her hair in place. The last item she used was a pair of gray goggles that contained thermal imaging, radio wave, sound wave and various other sensors that fed her information.

Ensconced in their new duds, they made final inspections of their weapons and equipment before attending one last meeting with Mon Mothma.

With her stamp of approval on the mission, Kyle and Jan headed to the hangar. No words were exchanged between them. Pretty much everything worthwhile saying had been said.

Kyle climbed into the rear cockpit of the _Moldy Crow_ and strapped in as Jan mirrored his actions in the forward cockpit and began the startup sequence for the engines.

The repulsors came on obediently, but the main engines were another matter.

Jan ran through the ignition sequence again, but there was no response.

Muttering under her breath, she reset the controls once again, then tried the sequence a third time.

The ship began to quake, the vibration rocking Jan and Kyle from side to side in the cockpit.

The engines coughed once, twice and with a deafening roar, came to life.

"One of these days…" Jan said, glaring at the _Crow_'s instrument panel.

Behind her, Kyle smiled, but said nothing.

Selecting a channel on the comm system, Jan pressed the "Transmit" button.

"_Moldy Crow _to hangar control."

"Hangar control here," answered the familiar voice of Puan Gell, "have a little starting up there, Jan?"

"Don't get me started," she said, "how about clearance for departure?"

"You have clearance," Puan said, "be advised though. An X-Wing squadron just left hyperspace and is on approach vector."

"Then they'd better get out of my way," Jan muttered.

Though he tried, Kyle was unable to suppress a bark of laughter.

Jan turned and glared at him.

She was about to say something when Puan's voice came back in her headset.

"What was that, _Moldy Crow_?"

"Nothing," she said firmly, "understood on the X-Wing Squadron."

Closing the channel, Jan decided it was time for her to have a bit of fun at somebody else's expense.

Maneuvering the _Crow_ until it was lined up with the hangar bay exit; she grasped the throttles in her left hand and shoved them as hard as she could to the stops.

With a scream of released energy, the _Crow_'s engines flared a bright blue-white as the vessel shot out of the hangar bay with all the grace of a cannon firing a projectile.

Kyle found himself slammed into his seat and unable to move as the distance between the _Crow _and the _Intrepid_ increased rapidly.

_Well, this is unexpected_, he thought.

He considered what to do or say to her, but decided for the moment, that less was more.

And so, the forces of acceleration pinning him in place, Kyle tried to relax as best he could.

After another two minutes, Jan pulled the throttles back, albeit much slower this time. After her headlong dash out of the hangar bay, the last she needed to do was hit the brakes too quickly.

She also prepared herself for a verbal assault from Kyle, fully expecting him to be livid with her.

But none came.

Jan waited as thirty seconds passed, forty five, a minute, a minute thirty, and still nothing from the rear cockpit.

She considered that Kyle might be trying to bait her and on the heels of that thought, she wondered if the fast exit had done something to him.

She decided she had to at least make sure he was alive.

"Katarn?" she called.

"Yes?" came back the reply.

_He doesn't sound hurt_, Jan thought, _or angry, for that matter._

She considered his response for a moment more.

_What are playing at, Katarn?_

"Anything you want to say?" she asked, purposely trying to provoke a response.

There was several seconds of silence, and then Kyle spoke.

"Has the computer finished calculating the hyperspace jump?"

The question made Jan realize she had completely forgotten to do that. Her fingers danced across the hyperspace controls, setting the computer to work.

"Almost," she said, not wanting him to figure out her mistake.

"Okay," came the reply.

From feeling vindicated and victorious, Jan was now frustrated and disturbed.

_Why isn't he angry? He should be._

As she thought this, the answer appeared.

She shook her head, realizing she had already lost.

"Katarn?"

"Yes, Jan?"

"I hate you."

"No you don't," he said honestly.

"Right now I do."

"Oh," he said, "in that case, understood."

Blowing out a breath, Jan refocused her attention on the instruments.

A minute later, the hyperspace computer finished it calculations.

"We're ready for hyperspace," she said.

"Then let's get this over with," Kyle said.

Jan nodded in agreement.

Grasping the lever controlling the hyperdrive, she advanced it and the _Crow_ seemed to stretch forward before vanishing into hyperspace.

Three hours later, the ship came back into realspace only a short ways away from the Smuggler's Moon.

"There it is," Jan said to Kyle, "You ready?"

"As ready as I'm going to be," he replied.

Jan guided the ship down into the geometric maze that comprised this area of Nar Shaddaa. After unsuccessfully trying to find a space port or landing field, she had had to bring the _Crow _in low in a spot near the cantina where Kyle had safely exited the ship.

"I'll see if I can find a place to land somewhere else around here," she said.

"Make sure you keep the engines hot," he advised, looking around, "once I'm finished with 8t88, I wanna get out of here pronto."

She nodded.

"Be careful, Kyle."

"I'll do my best," he said sincerely.

And with that, he turned and strode away. Jan waited until he was out of sight before guiding the _Crow _skyward.

_And now, after all that, all the prep work and planning, I'm just sitting here_, he thought.

Kyle glanced at the time display on his wrist again. He had been here over an hour now.

_First, he tells me to get here as soon as I can, now he makes me wait, _Kyle thought. _I am starting to really not like this droid. _

Deciding he needed to do something to alleviate the boredom, Kyle reached into his shirt and pulled out the holo emitter Jan had gotten him for his birthday.

Thonas had given it back to him during the final meeting with Mon Mothma. A thorough search of the device _had_ turned up a hidden transmitter, but no other foreign components.

Grateful to have the device returned; Kyle had stuffed it in a pocket on his way out of the briefing room.

A small smile appeared on his face as he keyed the "play" switch.

The machine hummed to life and, a moment later, the image of Kyle and his father appeared.

Kyle watched as his father told him how proud he was.

It was just as the elder Katarn began talking about Kyle's mother that he heard a new sound.

It was low at first, but distinct enough to tell Kyle what it was.

The sound of meshing servomotors: getting closer.

Kyle craned his neck and saw a droid approaching. A droid whose face matched the one he had seen before.

It was 8t88.

The droid approached Kyle's table and sat down, its servomotors whining a bit loudly as it did so.

Kyle turned off the holoemitter.

"How touching," the droid said, its vocalizer doing a fair job of mimicking a tone of condescension. Its' multicolored eyes seemed to be looking both at Kyle and the emitter.

Kyle kept his expression neutral.

"You took your time getting here."

"When someone desires information," the droid intoned, ignoring the comment, "they come to me."

Kyle felt his thin line of patience draw close to snapping completely. He didn't hide his frustration as he spoke.

"Don't waste my time, '88. You said you had information on my father. What is it?"

The droid said nothing for several seconds, then in an almost deadpan tone, spoke.

"It concerns his Rebel ties, he…"

Kyle leaned forward in his seat, his eyes hard.

"I already know about that. If that's all you got, then…"

8t88 was still speaking.

"…and the events of his death," it concluded.

Kyle paused upon hearing this.

He considered that maybe the droid knew exactly what had happened to his father when the Empire attacked Sulon.

"You know who killed my father?"

"Patience," the droid said.

That sent Kyle over the edge.

_No way am I gonna let some stupid droid tell me to calm down!_

He hit the table with his clenched right hand.

"I said don't waste my time, '88! Tell me who killed my father, now!"

The explosion of anger didn't seem to faze the droid in the slightest.

"Patience," it said again, "he is a Dark Jedi."

"Jedi?" Kyle echoed.

"_Dark_ Jedi," 8t88 said.

The droid's emphasis on the word "dark" reminded Kyle of the voice from before, the one that had called itself Dark.

"His name is Jerec," 8t88 continued, "and he has great plans for the rebirth of the Empire."

Normally, such a comment would have concerned Kyle. But at this moment, whatever plans someone had for the Empire took a back burner to what was happening presently.

"I'm not interested in someone's plans for a power grab. Besides, the Empire is gone."

"Well, you _should_ be interested in this one," 8t88 said emphatically.

"And why is that?" Kyle challenged.

"Without going into unnecessary detail," 8t88 said, "Jerec's offerings have been… quite munificent. And for some reason, he seems very interested in finding _you_."

There was sudden movement from the front of the room. Kyle's right hand was just going under the table for his weapons when someone stepped in behind him and pointed a blaster right at his neck. One shot and he wouldn't even be able to call for help.

Moving to stand on the other side of the table from 8t88, a Gran clad in a dark blue outfit also leveled a blaster at Kyle.

_You were right, Jan_, he thought, _it's a trap_.

8t88 spoke again.

"But I am not without what a 'heart', as you humans say."

One of the droids spindly arms went under the table for a moment then reappeared holding something.

"It is familiar to you?"

The droid held a silvery metallic disc with holes punched in equidistant positions on its surface. The disc itself was partially contained inside a tan holder that was part square, part triangle.

Kyle _did _recognize the item.

_One of Wee-Gee's holo discs! _

He fought not to let the recognition show on his face.

When he didn't answer after a time, the droid continued.

"I found this in your dead father's home," it said.

_This blasted droid was in my house?_

One of 8t88's photoreceptors moved to look at the disc.

"I can decipher any language or code known," it said, "but this one has so far resisted my efforts. I conclude that whatever is on it _must_ be important."

The droid held the disc out towards Kyle.

"If you will agree to tell me what this is, then perhaps I can convince these 'gentlemen' to not show you their 'darker' side."

It was, perhaps, one of the worst veiled threats Kyle had ever heard. And if 8t88 thought it scared him, well….

A smile came to Kyle's face, a smile that made the droid instantly uncomfortable.

"The Dark Side?" Kyle said; a hint of amusement in his voice, "I've been there, '88. No deal."

The droid paused, processing the retort.

Then, with a whine of servomotors, it pulled the disc back and rose from the table. As it turned to go, the droid turned its head around to look back at Kyle.

"I suppose our business is concluded then."

To the men covering Kyle, it said, "Make sure no one finds the body."

And with that, the droid strode away, the whine of its servomotors growing fainter.

The Gran took a half step closer to Kyle, its blaster trained on him.

"You should have made the deal," it said in its language, "Now; you will never leave Nar Shaddaa."

To the alien's surprise, Kyle didn't show any fear. Instead, the smile reappeared, the smile of a predator.

Moving quickly, Kyle reached over his right shoulder. The gunman behind him had made the mistake of getting too close and leaning over to aim his blaster.

The Gran saw the man behind his target fly forward, rotating in mid-air until the gunman's back slammed hard onto the circular table.

There was a flash of metal and a heartbeat later, the man on the table slumped lifelessly, his neck twisted at an impossible angle.

Kyle moved again and a second later, the Gran found itself staring down the muzzle of a blaster rifle.

Kyle leaned forward, his face becoming visible.

He was still smiling.

"I'm not interested in leaving just yet," he said to the alien, "I still have some business with 8t88."

Fight or flight instinct kicking in, the Gran gave a guttural cry and dropped its weapon, turning to flee.

It had barely taken two steps when Kyle fired twice.

The Gran fell to the floor, dead.

Moving around the table and past the body on the floor, Kyle headed down the corridor that connected to other private rooms.

He swept the blaster from side to side as he moved, in case there were any more of 8t88's henchmen lying in wait.

But no more appeared and the only other person he saw right then was a goggled-eyed, gray-haired humanoid who had retreated to the far wall as Kyle had turned in his direction.

Turning into a connecting hallway, Kyle followed to an entrance he recognized.

It was the bar he had come through on his way to the room to meet 8t88. As he got close, Kyle's ears picked up the unmistakable sound of a Gran speaking.

_Guess there _is_ more than one_.

But on the heels of that though came another. He considered what might happen if he was wrong and the Gran was just there having a drink.

_Sure, _he thought sarcastically, _and the Emperor is secretly a humanitarian._

Reaching up to his right shoulder, he pressed a recessed control. There was a low hum from the shoulder pad as the shield powered up, the shield indicator on Kyle's right wrist coming on and displaying the shield power level at 100%.

_Well, let's see who's in _there, he thought.

Moving into the doorway, Kyle's eyes swept the room, spotting the two Gran around the same time they saw him.

Aiming his blaster, Kyle got off three shots before the Gran opened fire.

Crimson bolts crisscrossed each other, seeking out their targets.

One of the pair of Gran was hit by two of Kyle's shots and gave a guttural cry as it fell.

Kyle felt the impact of the Gran's fire against his shield, causing him to stagger back a few steps.

The second Gran kicked over a table and was hiding behind it, sliding out every few seconds to shoot at him.

Kyle tried returning fire, but the table was shielding his target.

Just then, a shot from the Gran hit the shield, driving him back another step. A glance at the shield display showed it at 70%.

_Can't keep this up_, he thought, _I've got to find a way to take the advantage._

A memory of stormtrooper training came to him.

"Sometimes, men," the instructor had said, "the trick to defeating an enemy is the choice that makes the least sense, and so is the last thing expected."

On the heels of the memory came an idea.

_It's crazy, _he thought, _but it's the last thing the Gran'll expect._

Waiting until his enemy fired another round, Kyle ran forward towards the table.

Reaching the spot, Kyle grabbed the table with left hand and yanked.

The table slid, exposing the Gran, crouching on the floor.

The alien looked up, dumbfounded.

"Hi there," Kyle said and shot him.

With both Gran dead, he made another sweep of the room, but the bar seemed empty, the dark and stained metal creating shadows even though the room was lit brightly from an overhead fixture. The wall to Kyle's was a mix of diagonal beams and transparisteel, providing a view that wasn't much to look at as a viewer would only see more of the caverns and buildings that comprised Nar Shaddaa.

Suddenly a voice called seemingly out of nowhere.

"Get out of my bar!"

Turning round, Kyle faced the bar again and found the origin of the voice.

It took only a moment for him to identify the humanoid bartender he had encountered upon arriving here.

He also noticed the man was glaring daggers at him.

"You got a problem?"

"Yeah I do," the bartender said, showing no fear even though a weapon was pointed at him, "look at the mess you made."

"Hey!" Kyle countered, "T_hey_ attacked _me_!"

The bartender made a dismissive gesture.

"Your type always causes trouble," he muttered, turning away.

Part of Kyle wanted to slam the man's face right into his bar. But then he remembered the disc.

_I've got to find 8t88!_

He was about to leave when he noticed the weapons lying near the Gran's bodies. Going over, he picked up both weapons, finding them mostly charged.

Removing the power packs, Kyle pocketed one and use the other to recharge his shield to 100%.

Ignoring the continued comments and protests from the bartender, he headed for the bar's exit.

"That's right," the bartender called, "get out already!"

_That tears it!_

Turning back towards the bar, Kyle noticed the neon sign on the back wall, the image displaying some kind of serpent.

He aimed the blaster and fired twice.

With the sound of transparisteel shattering, the sign guttered and went out.

The bartender hit the floor.

With a satisfied smile, Kyle exited the bar.

The corridor he stepped into was dimly lit, but he could distinguish a ramp of green metal ahead of him. Kyle moved carefully up the ramp and into a larger, brighter room of the same décor as the bar, minus the windows. Part of the ceiling on one side of the room was low, casting one whole side in shadow.

Beyond it appeared to be a larger room where the left hand wall was set on a diagonal disappearing up and out of Kyle's sight.

Moving across the space, he kept an eye out for more attackers.

Passing into the larger, high-ceilinged room, Kyle saw what looked like a chute on the left side of the room with an opening near the ceiling. He looked in that direction, in the event that someone was there, ready to shoot.

Suddenly, he heard a sound from behind just as something large and heavy hit him.

Pain flared in Kyle's back, the force of the blow knocking him forward.

Instinctively, he tucked his head into his chest and turned the fall into a somewhat clumsy forward roll.

Kyle's back flared all the more as it struck the unyielding floor. He managed to roll onto his side even as he raised the hand carrying the blaster.

To his surprise, Kyle noticed that his attacker was _not_ carrying a blaster.

He could tell right away it was a Gran, but this one was not wearing a shirt, displaying its mottled upper body in the same tan color as it face.

In addition, this Gran sported some rather impressive looking muscles.

Even as he took in his attacker's appearance, the Gran began to move forward.

Its hands were raised in a gesture that Kyle recognized.

_I think… yes! It wants to fight me._

He considered for a moment obliging the Gran, visions of knocking the alien on its butt flitting through his mind.

But then again, he wasn't sure exactly how strong the Gran was.

_And if I underestimate him…_

A new vision appeared in Kyle's mind. Himself on the ground, getting the daylights beat out of him.

_Yeah, definitely not what I want to happen._

In any case, Kyle knew he needed to come up with something soon, the Gran was getting closer and before he knew it, the alien was looming over him.

It has been said that some of the best ideas come out of desperation.

And so it was that an idea came to Kyle.

With the alien's hands almost upon him, Kyle leaned forward, raising the hand holding the blaster.

In an instant, the barrel had dug in the flesh of the Gran's throat.

Kyle saw its three eyes blink in astonishment.

A smile came across his face as he pulled the trigger.

"Surprise!"

The gun lurched in his hands as it fired; the tough skin and bones of the Gran no barrier to the energy beam.

It tore through the Gran's throat and neck, exiting out the other side.

Eyes glazing over, the Gran continued to move forward, now falling towards Kyle.

The operative felt his breath rush out of him as the heavy body of the dead alien struck him, trapping his gun arm.

Kyle tried to move, but the Gran's body proved to be very heavy.

It took several minutes and a lot of grunting and pushing, but he finally got enough of his left side free to help with the effort.

With a final push, Kyle rolled the Gran's body off him.

He lay there for several minutes, getting his breath back.

He also found his entire right arm and most of his chest covered in the alien's blood.

"Aw man!" he complained, trying to remove the viscous liquid, "gross!"

When he felt able to, Kyle sat up and tried to clean himself off. He got most of the alien's blood off, but his clothes were stained and spotted.

_And I just got this!_

Shaking his head, Kyle rolled to one side and pushing off with his left arm and knee, he rose to his feet.

Checking himself over, Kyle concluded that, aside from the stains, he was okay.

He glanced over at the body of the Gran and saw that his initial assessment had been correct.

This Gran was huge, its body larger and muscular than any other he had seen before.

_Explains why he didn't have a gun. Big as this guy is, he probably could've crushed me with one blow. _

It also occurred to Kyle that there might be more of this type of Gran around.

He made a mental note that if he saw another, to shoot first and shoot often.


	3. Chapter 3: The Hard Road

**Kyle Katarn: The Rise & Fall **

**Book 2: Birth of a Jedi **

**Chapter 3: The Hard Road

* * *

**

A/N: Greetings to everyone, both here and abroad. Shanesnest here with Chapter 3 of Book 2 of the Rise and Fall of Kyle Katarn: Birth of a Jedi. I was a bit concerned I might not have this chapter ready to post as events (some beyond my control) have conspired to steal away my writing time. But things have worked out and here it is!

Kyle's journey through Nar Shaddaa seeking 8t88 continues. But before we get to that, there's some shout outs to take care of.

Mach Farcon: Just like you said, the first mission from the game. I had forgotten how many firefights Kyle goes through on this one, yipe! I hope you continue to enjoy the story and definitely do the replay. That's how I'm coming up with scenes, playing the game and then writing things down fast before I forget them.

Hitman Nx: Machine vs. Man, the classic battle. The question is; who wins? Don't worry, we'll find out.

Tinuviel Undomiel: Yeah, I'd say ol '88 is in major league trouble. You're right about Kyle and Jan, the dichotomy of the two. Warriors, friends, maybe lovers someday, but each having a distinct identity separate from the other and unwilling in a lot of cases to give ground. Yeah, Mon Mothma definitely has to play Mom with those two! Aha! So I had you wondering on the escort scene. Truth be told, I debated about it, but it was too soon to have _that_ happen. One wonders when it might happen.

Nerwen Aldarion: Then you'll definitely like this chapter. No spoilers, but I'm fairly sure I'm right. You make a good point about Kyle being a bit more "grungier" than Luke. I never thought about that, but you're right about them acting like a teenage couple. Hmmm, maybe I can use that. I agree with about KOTOR. It's neat trying something totally opposite of normal and seeing what changes it brings. Yeah, you're nuts. But so am I. Being normal is overrated.

A/N: And that covers that! So on we go! Last time, Kyle met with 8t88 about a disc the droid got from Kyle's father's home. But the whole thing turns out to be a trap to capture Kyle. Having escaped from the cantina, Kyle is searching Nar Shaddaa for 8t88. Who knows what'll happen when he finds him. So let's find out, shall we?

* * *

Kyle negotiated two more turns and moved down a hallway with another a smiling face laid out in neon.

At the end of it another Gran appeared and started towards him.

Kyle didn't hesitate in lifting his blaster and shooting the alien twice. It fell; smoke already rising from the two holes burned into its body.

He moved ahead, reaching a curving wall that was covered in multi-colored graffiti.

He had just started around it when he heard a high pitched, reptilian giggle.

Kyle began to swing his blaster up, but before he could locate the source of the sound, a Rodian dressed in a medium green outfit with a brown vest jumped into view barely a half dozen steps away.

It fired, the shots deflected by Kyle's shield, but the close impact drove him back against the wall, pinning his right arm against.

The Rodian laughed again, its snout uttering the equivalent of, "I got you, I got you!"

Kyle mentally shook his head, even as he transferred the blaster from his right hand to his left.

The Rodian was still in mid celebration when Kyle raised the weapon.

The alien was able to get out a strangled squawk before a blast ripped into its chest.

It uttered a high pitched cry, then fell.

Kyle observed the body for a moment.

"Gotcha back."

He continued on, moving through several more corridors and up lifts when the paths ended.

Several more aliens, mostly Grans, kept attacking. It got so no sooner had Kyle recharged his shield than another attack took the power down to dangerous levels.

_I came for a simple exchange of information, _Kyle thought, _and now all of this._

He had gone from feeling tired, to feeling peeved, to feeling annoyed, to perturbed, to full on angry. And the angrier he got, the better it seemed to feel.

When a Rodian appeared from behind a wall and fired at him, Kyle took the hit on his shield without giving an inch of ground.

Eyeing the alien, he felt not only anger towards, but also contempt. No, more than contempt, he felt disgust.

"You dare?" he said, raising the blaster.

The Rodian called him an ugly name, which only added to his anger.

He fired one shot into the Rodian's stomach and it fell.

He moved forward until he was standing directly over the alien.

The gut shot, while intensely painful, had not been a lethal one.

The Rodian croaked out something at Kyle.

"You're so right," he said, aiming the blaster.

He fired four more times, the Rodian screaming out until the last one ended its life.

To Kyle, such a sound normally would have repugnant. But as this moment it was almost… almost…

_It's almost pleasant._

Disgust filled him again, this time directed at himself.

_What in the name of the Drapazian Circle am I thinking?_

Just then, the smell from the Rodian's body reached his nose.

Gag reflex threatening, Kyle quickly moved past the body, finding clearer air to breathe.

_I need to focus on 8t88. Finding him is the priority._

But even as he moved into the next room, Kyle wondered what had just happened to him.

His attention was soon taken by the sight of a diagonal ramp before him.

Moving closer to it, he saw that the ramp led upwards and out of sight.

_Well, that's probably where I need to go, so…_

A search of the area finally revealed a switch mechanism.

Activating it, Kyle heard a loud sound, as if a gear had been shifted.

A rumbling sound reached his ears as a platform appeared, sliding down the metal track of the ramp until it came to a halt, its metal deck flush with the floor.

Moving towards the platform, Kyle stepped onto it. He began to look around for a way to get it to move when he heard the sound of a gear shifting again, and with that, the platform began to rise upwards.

The shock of the sudden movement nearly knocked him from platform. But after a moment of unsteadiness, he was able to regain his feet.

The platform rose several meters, and as a new floor came into view, Kyle braced himself against the shock as the platform banged to a stop.

Stepping off, Kyle made his way around another turn and found a short corridor ahead leading to a space with another diagonal ramp leading up.

Kyle moved forward, looking for any attackers, but none appeared.

Nearing the ramp, he noticed what look like a room to the left. But the doorway and single windows were light strangely.

Instead of a standard overhead light, this space was lit in a low red color.

Though he found it curious, Kyle decided, for the moment, to ignore it and keep going when he noticed sudden movement in the space.

His blaster was in place an instant later as he braced for an attack.

When none came and he saw no more movement, Kyle decided to investigate the red-lit room

Moving slowly, he advanced to the doorway and stepped inside.

At first, he didn't see anyone.

"What's happening?" a voice called out of the darkness.

Though it startled him, part of Kyle's mind recognized the words had been spoken in Basic, which was a pretty good indication that whoever it had said them was not a Gran or a Rodian.

Still, caution was warranted. Kyle lowered his blaster, but didn't holster it.

Moving deeper into the room, his eyes adjusted to the point that he was able to make out two figures standing in the space looking back at him.

They were both dressed in grayish robes, the man wearing a peaked hat while the woman's dark hair was piled atop her head.

"Who are you?" he asked.

"I know nothing," the woman said.

"I didn't ask anything yet," Kyle retorted.

He stepped closer to the pair, deciding to try being friendly for the moment.

"My name is Kyle Katarn. I'm trying to track down a droid named 8t88. Have either of you seen him?"

"I know nothing," the woman said, a bit louder this time.

His gesture rebuffed, Kyle's anger came back full force.

He raised the blaster, pointed it at the woman.

"I'm not in the mood for games, lady. That droid has something of mine and I want it back."

"We know nothing," she repeated, looking fixedly at him, and then added, "You need to leave."

Now Kyle felt his patience begin to crack. He had tried being nice, but it appeared that nice wasn't going to work here.

_Time to get a bit forceful._

"I'm not leaving until I get some information from you. Did you see the droid or not?"

"We know nothing," she said again.

Bristling, Kyle advanced until he stood nearly nose-to-nose with her.

"Lady, I don't know what your malfunction is, but don't expect me to believe you know nothing. I _know _you saw the droid I'm looking for. Now tell me where it went."

Amazingly, she didn't back down. Her eyes glared fiercely back at him.

She was not backing down in the slightest.

Kyle shifted his eyes to the man.

"How about you?"

The man said nothing, but his eyes shifted to the right and his head moved a little.

Kyle stared at him.

"What's _your _problem?" he asked.

The man made the same motions again.

Kyle squinted at him, trying to understand.

The man made the motions a third time.

Light flashed inside Kyle's mind. He realized what the man was trying to tell him.

Lowering his voice, he spoke to them both.

"I think I understand. When I tell you to, both of you drop the floor."

Neither the man or woman said anything, but the look in their eyes seemed to say the understood.

Kyle shifted the aim of blaster slightly, even though it appeared to still be aimed at the man.

"Now!" he yelled.

The man and woman dropped to the floor.

Holding down the trigger, Kyle swept the blaster from left to right and back again, completely exhausting the power pack.

With a cry of anger and then of pain, a Gran became visible as it fell to the ground, the blaster it held falling out of its lifeless hand.

The man rose to his feet and helped the woman up.

"I'm sorry," she said, "that 'thing' came in here, and told us if we said or did anything suspicious, it'd kill us both."

Kyle nodded his understanding.

"No problem. Are you two all right?"

"I've been better," said the man.

"We saw that droid you're looking for," said the woman, "it went up the ramp a little while ago."

Kyle nodded again.

"Do either of you know where the controls are for the ramp?"

"They're in here," said the woman, "I'll handle it for you, if you want."

Kyle smiled at her, the first genuine smile he had shown since arriving on Nar Shaddaa.

"That'd be great."

As the woman moved to the controls, the man accompanying her, Kyle discarded his useless blaster and took the one lying near the body of the Gran.

A check found the weapon fully charged.

Moving outside the room and close to the diagonal ramp, he signaled the woman, who activated the control.

Hearing the mechanical switch sound, Kyle watched as the platform came into view, descending towards him.

Blaster fire suddenly erupted from above him.

Caught by surprise, Kyle was knocked to the deck by several impacts, his shield power dropping fast.

Rolling onto his side, he looked up and saw a Rodian standing atop the platform as its descent finished and the machinery came to a halt.

Anger filled Kyle, anger at the Rodian, but more at himself for not thinking to make sure the platform was unoccupied.

Before he realized, he was on his feet and walking towards the Rodian. The alien fired again, but its shots missed.

Moving to stand in front of the Rodian, Kyle grabbed its gun arm and twisted it hard.

With a scream, the alien dropped the laser pistol it held.

With his free hand, Kyle raised his blaster and shot the Rodian in the face, watching as it fell.

Hearing a loud gasp, he wheeled around to see the woman, her hands over her mouth, and the man staring at him wide-eyed and with expressions of horror.

_**Kill them**_, said a voice.

Kyle looked away from the man and woman, searching for the source of the voice.

But there was no else there except the three of them.

_I know I heard someone speak._

He looked again at the man and women. But they just continued staring back at him, not uttering a word.

Though he was curious, Kyle realized that he losing precious time.

_I've gotta find 8t88._

Nodding to himself, Kyle walked onto the platform, bracing himself as it shuddered into motion.

When the platform stopped at the next level, Kyle found himself under attack once again.

The confusion he was feeling over the man and woman's reaction faded, and was replaced by fierce anger.

Drawing his blaster, Kyle took off at a run towards his attackers, his lips pulled back in a fierce smile.

Several minutes and rooms later, he paused to exchange the exhausted blaster he was carrying with one from a Gran that lay dead on the ground before him.

It suddenly occurred to Kyle that he had little to no memory of the paths he had taken to reach the place he was in now.

What he _could_ remember was a nearly constant stream of laser fire directed his way.

He knew he had been hit a number of times as well and that his shield needed recharging.

_I should feel tired_, he thought, _but I don't. I feel…_

Kyle realized he felt energized, invigorated.

And he sensed he was getting closer to 8t88.

Moving around a corner, the space in front of him had possibly the narrowest catwalk he had seen. And on all sides, he saw only blackness.

_If I fall from here… the bottom is a long way down._

Kyle started across the catwalk when he heard a new sound.

Movement from above directed his eyes towards the roof of the structure.

There, held in the grips of a docking clamp, was the double-hulled structure of a TIE Bomber.

As Kyle watched, the docking clamp released.

The TIE floated on its repulsors for a moment, then with a loud whine from its engines, shot forward.

Instinctively, Kyle ducked as the vessel roared overhead and out of the space.

He watched as it curved to the left and moved out of sight.

_Okay, _Kyle thought; t_hat was a little scary._

Moving carefully, he made his way across the narrow catwalk to the other side.

In time, Kyle found himself in a larger room where he was attacked from an overhead control room.

After two impacts to the shield, Kyle managed to hide behind a wall opposite the control room.

He tried shooting back, but the attackers' return fire was too intense.

His anger returning, Kyle decided to do the unexpected.

Stepping out from behind the wall, he ran towards the control room.

Laser fire greeted his approach, but somehow he managed to avoid being hit.

Reaching the other side, Kyle found a ramp leading up.

He moved up it carefully, knowing there were at least two attackers.

Reaching the top of the ramp, Kyle heard the voice of a Gran, a Gran who was very close by.

He turned around and found himself nearly nose-to-nose with the alien.

Before Kyle could aim his weapon, the alien struck, its fist crashing into Kyle's chest.

The impact sent him flying backwards until he fetched up against the wall.

Kyle cried out in pain as he bounced off the wall and onto the floor.

Even as his body screamed at him, Kyle's felt his anger return with an undeniable intensity. His skin began to feel warm as his anger increased.

On his hands and knees on the floor, Kyle looked up at the Gran.

It was coming towards him, its fists raised to attack him again.

His anger rose even more, both at himself and at the alien.

_**Use the pain**_.

Kyle closed his eyes for a moment, and then opened them again.

The Gran was standing over him, raising its arms over its head.

Kyle smiled despite the pain he was feeling.

And to the Gran's surprise, he rose suddenly, his fists striking out.

The Gran, in the midst of its strike, found itself crying out in pain as it fell to the ground.

Reaching to his wrists, Kyle extracted the two knives there.

He smiled down at the alien and dropped down, shoving the knives into the Gran's neck and chest.

The alien cry of protest turned into a scream as the serrated blades sliced into its flesh.

A chuckle escaping from his throat, Kyle yanked the knives out, the removal shredding organs and flesh.

By the time the operative rose to his feet, the Gran was dead, its blood spreading out on the floor.

"Fool," he muttered, moving past the body.

He went up another ramp, but this time stepped up facing the other direction.

As the Gran there started advancing on him, Kyle was easily able to shoot it.

At the top of the ramp, Kyle turned around to see a long hallway before him leading to another room.

He also spotted two more attackers.

He was about to charge them when one of the Gran reached out and roughly yanked at something.

Into view came a pair of feet, a body and finally, a face.

It was a female.

Dressed similar to the one he had seen earlier, this was not a woman, but a girl.

Even with the distance separating them, Kyle could see she was frightened and shaking.

The Gran was holding her in front of itself, a shield against Kyle's attack.

A second, older female came running, reaching for the younger one, but the second Gran pushed her away then aimed at her with its blaster.

Kyle assessed the situation, trying to decide what to do. But no matter what plan he came up with, he was fairly sure that it would result with the girl being killed.

_What do I do?_

_**Kill her.**_

Kyle looked around again, certain he had heard someone speaking to him.

But he saw no one.

_**Kill her.**_

Kyle understood.

_You again._

_**Kill her, **_the voice in his head said for a third time

Looking ahead of him, his mind going over the situation once more, it occurred to Kyle that the command _did_ make sense.

_No matter what I do, the girl's going to die anyway. If I do it right now, then I can take out those Gran._

He began to raise his blaster.

**Her life is not yours to take.**

Kyle recognized the other voice.

_She's going to die no matter what I do._

_**Kill her,**_ the first voice said emphatically.

**You can save her life.**

Kyle's certainty over the girls' fate wavered. Could he really be certain of her fate? Was death the only option?

_I…I… don't… I don't want… to kill her._

**Then save her.**

In an instant, Kyle knew what to do.

With his blaster held out, he pushed off his right foot and charged.

In the next second, it felt to Kyle as if something had shifted around him.

Unsure, he looked around.

Suddenly, he realized he was standing right in front of the first Gran and the girl it was holding.

Quickly, Kyle reached out and grasped her head, pushing it down and out of the way.

The Gran had time to utter a squawk of surprise as Kyle fired his blaster at point blank range.

Then, even as the body of the first Gran was falling, its grip on the girl loosening, Kyle shifted his aim to the second Gran as the alien was reaching for the other female.

His lips drew back in a snarl.

"Get away from her!"

He fired twice.

The second Gran fell.

Something seemed to shift around him again.

Feeling dizzy, Kyle closed his eyes for a moment, the opened them.

He looked around, seeing the bodies of the Gran, lying on the floor nearby, blood pooling around their bodies.

His eyes shifted to the two females.

"Mother!" the girl cried, hurling herself at the other woman.

Crying out her child's name, the older woman enveloped her in a tight embrace, both of them crying now.

Kyle stood there, dumbfounded.

_What just happened?_

His logical mind provided the answer, but it didn't seem to make sense.

Turning round, Kyle looked down the hallway to where he had stood just a short time before.

He judged the distance.

_How… how did I do that?_

Somehow, the operative had crossed a distance of nearly 10 feet in what seemed like an instant.

He looked down at the women again.

He opened his mouth to speak, searching for words to say to them.

"Are… are you all right?"

The older woman looked up at him, tears still running down her face

But instead of fear or gratitude, she glared up at Kyle with an angry expression.

_But why? I just saved them_!

It was then Kyle realized his weapon was pointed at them.

He quickly holstered it and then raised his hands with the palms facing out.

The woman continued to glare at him.

Feeling confused, Kyle tried again.

"Are you okay?"

The woman gave him the briefest of nods.

_She ought to be grateful_, Kyle thought.

The woman's expression didn't change.

He began to feel angry, right hands drifting back towards his holstered blaster.

_I saved their lives, and this is what I get for it_? _They'd be dead if it wasn't for me!_

He considered what to do next, and then remembered… 8t88!

_I can't waste any more time here. If 8t88 escapes…_

But as he looked down at the older woman, Kyle felt a sudden impulse.

Pulling the blaster out once more, he reversed his hold on it, holding the weapon out butt first.

The woman stared at it.

"Take it," he said firmly.

The woman hesitated, then removing one arm from her daughter's trembling body, reached out and wrapped her fingers around the grip.

Kyle let go, allowing her to take the blaster.

Turning away, he went to the bodies of the two Gran and retrieved their weapons.

Then, without looking back, he walked away.

It occurred to him how risky this was. Given the woman's apparent attitude, what was to stop her from shooting him in the back?

But for some reason, he didn't think she would do it.

He was about halfway down the first ramp when a reedy, high-pitched voice called out.

"Thank you!"

Kyle paused in mid-step.

It was the girl.

A smile came to his face.

_You're welcome_, he thought, starting forward again.

He had just stepped back into the large room when there was a large clanking sound.

The floor under his feet began to move.

For a moment, Kyle thought it might be a trap. But as he watched, he saw that two sections of the floor were sliding apart, exposing something in the center.

Thirty seconds later, the clanking sound came again as the floor stopped moving.

Kyle moved towards the opening in the center, being careful to not get too close to the edge.

He saw that there was a room below this one and judging by the stacks of large crates, it was a warehouse of some kind.

Kyle considered how to get down there, since it appeared to be the only exit out of the room he was in.

Moving around the perimeter of the opening, he spotted what looked like an angled ramp.

Getting closer, he saw that it was indeed a ramp, leading down.

He started down it.

Reaching the bottom of the ramp, he negotiated a turn and found a one person lift at the end of a short corridor.

Stepping onto it, Kyle heard the system engage and a second later, he began to descend.

Barely had the lift come to a halt when a Gran appeared.

Kyle activated his shield just as the first of the alien's shots reached him.

Suddenly, the floor under him shifted as the lift began to rise.

Kyle tried to shift his aim, but the walls of the shaft cut him off after only a few shots.

A few seconds later, he was back where he had been.

_Didn't exactly expect that_, he thought.

On the heels of that thought came the realization that the lift wasn't moving, even though he was still standing on it.

Kyle contemplated this. It occurred to him that the elevator might work on a cycle where it descended, waited long enough for the rider to step off then went back up.

_And if that's right, I just might have a way to take care of that Gran._

Stepping off the elevator, Kyle placed his right foot inside and put some pressure on it.

As soon as he heard the click of machinery, he stepped back, watching as the elevator descended out of sight.

As he expected, there was a flurry of blaster shots from below as the elevator arrived at the lower floor.

But when the Gran saw that there was no there, it stopped firing.

The alien advanced towards the elevator slowly.

Following its programmed cycle, the elevator ascended back to the top.

Kyle repeated the motion with his right foot.

This time, when the elevator arrived at the bottom, the Gran stepped partly into it and looked up the shaft.

Lying on his belly and looking down the shaft, Kyle smiled a predator's smile and pulled the trigger of his blaster.

Crimson bolts tore into the Gran's face and head.

A thud echoed up the shaft as the body fell onto the ground.

The elevator started back up, and with a horrible sound, the part of the Gran lying in the elevator was "separated" from the rest of its body.

Kyle felt his gorge rise at the sight of what lay on the elevator as it came to a halt on the upper floor.

What made it worse was he still needed to use the elevator to go down to the lower level.

Steeling himself, Kyle used his feet to move as much of the mess off of the elevator pad.

And while he was mostly able to not look at what he was doing, nothing could keep the sound and smell from reaching him.

It took about three minutes before he was able to clear a space large enough for him to stand on in the elevator.

The seconds it took to reach the lower level seemed interminable.

Kyle quickly stepped off the elevator, grateful when the elevator rose back up.

_Okay Katarn,_ he told himself, _stay focused. You've got to find that droid._

"I know," he said aloud;"and then I'm getting off this blasted planet."

Determined, he walked down another short corridor and through a door that slid open at his approach.

Kyle found himself on the floor of the warehouse, the huge stacks of crates rising above him.

Looking around, he spotted a number of spaces between the crates, surmising that one of them had to lead out of the warehouse.

He began to explore, at first finding only dead ends.

But then, as he moved behind another set of crates, Kyle heard the all too familiar voice of a Gran.

Before he could determine where it was, the alien stepped out of a shadow.

It struck, its fist slamming into Kyle before he could bring his weapon to bear.

The blow sent him flying backwards.

Expecting to feel the hard sting of a wall, Kyle instead felt something grab him.

He was spun around and was just able to determine it was another Gran when the punch it landed sent him flying out of the space.

Pain flaring in his stomach and chest, Kyle tried to scramble to his feet.

He managed to push himself back a short distance and was onto one knee when a third Gran grabbed him from behind.

This one threw Kyle, casting him onto the floor of the warehouse, and into a lighted spot.

Concentrating, Kyle managed to rise to his feet as the three Gran closed on him.

Suddenly, there was a new sound as two more appeared from behind another crate.

Too late did Kyle realize he had been distracted by the newcomers.

_It was a trap_.

Two more punches landed, one to the chest, the other to the face. This was followed by a kick that knocked him off his feet and sent him sliding back again.

It was as if his whole world was pain. Kyle tried to rise, but his body wasn't responding.

He managed to open his eyes and saw the Gran closing on him.

Each breath he took hurt.

And he was angry, both at himself and his attackers.

_Got to do something,_ he thought, _or I'm dead._

On top of everything else, the voices in his head were back.

One exhorted him to relax, to calm himself.

But the words of the other seem to reach out with greater force.

_**They dared to attack you! Are you simply going to lie there and not do something about it?**_

_I want to, _Kyle thought.

_**Then do it.**_

Kyle felt a moment of uncertainty as to how, but then the answer was there, so clear, so simple.

He let the anger inside him grow, the frustration, the fear, the pain, the desire for revenge.

His body grew warm, a pleasant warmth.

He still hurt, but now the injuries seem manageable.

And most importantly, he felt strength.

No, more than strength, he realized.

He felt _power_.

The light over him was partially eclipsed as the Grans came into view, standing over him.

One reached down and pulled Kyle up, holding the seemingly unresponsive body upright.

It looked to the others and they conversed, deciding who would strike first.

Suddenly, the Gran holding the body felt something grasp its arms.

It looked, and found the human's hands wrapped around its forearms. The grip was strong and tight, not weak at all.

The Gran tried to shake the human's grip off, but the hands held fast to its arms.

Kyle's eyes snapped open a second, startling the party of Gran.

But they found even more frightening was the expression on Kyle's face.

His lips were drawn back over his teeth in a feral grin, the normally blue eyes displaying a strange light in them.

The air in the room seemed to have changed as well.

And then, from the crazily smiling face came a voice full of malevolent fury.

"You… dare… to touch me!"

Kyle twisted the Gran's forearms until bone grated against bone.

The alien yelled with sudden pain, and then shrieked as the snap of bone echoed in the space.

Its grip failed, hands letting go of Kyle.

But he didn't let go of the Gran.

"Oh no," he said, looking almost bemused at the Gran's pained face, "it's not over yet."

Putting his weight onto his left foot, Kyle spun, swinging the Gran off its feet and around in a half circle.

The arc ended when Kyle let go, sending the Gran smashing face first into a crate.

There was a last cry of pain from the creature as its head was crushed.

What was left dropped to the ground.

Kyle turned to the others, still grinning.

"Who's next?"

One of the Gran came in swinging.

Kyle didn't seem to move at all, but somehow the blow missed, the Gran's fist shooting past Kyle's head with only an inch or two of clearance.

"Nice try," Kyle said, taking a single step forward and then lifting a knee into the Gran's stomach.

The alien doubled over, its breath gone.

Lacing his hands together, Kyle raised them over his head.

Still smiling crazily, he struck, the double ax handle blow hitting just under the area where the Gran's neck met its torso.

The clean, clear snap of bone sounded in the room followed a crushing sound as the alien's spinal cord was severed. It dropped to the deck.

Kyle turned to the remaining three.

Nine eyestalks looked back at him with shock. None of them moved.

Kyle laughed at them.

"Are you afraid?" he said.

None of the Grans responded.

"Cowards."

Emboldened, two of the aliens rushed him.

Kyle responded by dropping to one knee, punching one of the Grans in the gut.

As it went down, gasping for air, Kyle rose back onto his feet in a single smooth motion, his left hand arcing up to strike the other Gran in the throat.

It, too, fell to the deck, fighting for air.

He looked at the remaining Gran.

"Well?"

To his surprise, the alien turned to run.

Normally, Kyle would have let it go.

But not now.

Somehow, he shot ahead, moving to stand in front of the Gran.

Its attempted flight ended as Kyle grabbed its neck with left hand and reached with his right to scoop up the Gran, using the momentum of its legs pushing its body forward.

Up went the Gran's body into the air and down a second later as Kyle slammed the alien onto the deck with all of his strength.

The Gran uttered a tortured wail and then fell silent.

He turned back to the other two and felt momentary surprise to see them recovered.

One had produced a blaster from somewhere and trained it on him.

For some reason, Kyle didn't feel the least bit nervous or afraid.

The Gran motioned at him with the blaster.

Kyle didn't move.

"Awfully confident, aren't we?" he taunted, the feral smile still plastered on his face.

The Gran responded by blasting the deck just in front of him.

That's when Kyle remembered the shield.

Reaching to his shoulder, he activated it, the corona of energy solidifying around him.

He took a step forward.

This time, the Gran fired at him, but the shield easily deflected it.

Kyle advanced.

"Didn't expect that, did you?"

The Gran fired several more times and while Kyle noted the shield power was being dissipated, he felt it would be enough.

With a lunge, he got to the unarmed Gran and slid behind the alien. Grasping its arms, Kyle immobilized the Ree-Yees even as the other shifted its fire in that direction.

But instead of Kyle, the shots hit the other Gran, who screamed out as the crimson bolts gouged deep furrows in its body.

More shots came and then, the blaster fire stopped.

Tossing what was left of the Gran he was holding aside, Kyle looked to the remaining one.

It was trying, unsuccessfully, to insert a fresh power cell into the weapon.

Kyle's smile widened as an idea came to him.

With three quick steps, he stood in front of the Gran. With his palm held stiffly out in front of him, Kyle hit the alien in the chest.

It let out a loud grunt, the blow knocking it back and jarring the blaster and power cell from its grip.

Kyle plucked them out of the air.

"Here," he said to the Gran, who was trying to get back onto its feet, "it's like this."

Holding the two items out in front of him, Kyle popped open the power cell housing, allow the expended one to drop out.

He slid the new one in and closed the housing, finishing the procedure by drawing back the firing bolt, which engaged the new power cell and prepared the weapon for firing.

"See?" he said, turning the muzzle of the weapon to face the Gran.

A single shot penetrated its head and destroyed its brain.

The Gran fell.

"Hmm," Kyle muttered, looking at the dead body, "guess you don't."

He looked around, seeing the death and devastation around him.

Normally, he would have found such a scene repulsive.

But not now.

The pain from his wounds resurfaced, but Kyle found it manageable. It also sharpened his focus.

"All right, '88," he muttered, looking about the room, "where are you hiding?"

He felt a sudden, strong impulse. Turning towards one crate in particular, he had a strong sense that that was the way to go.

His wounds made running impossible for the moment, but he managed a fast walk.

Coming around the crate, he found an angled section of wall leading up to an open grate.

_There!_

Finding a recessed ladder on the wall, Kyle climbed up to the grate. It opened onto a darkened shaft, but he could see light from the other side.

Coming through the shaft, Kyle found himself in a room with two angled walls and a flat center section. The catwalk he was on spanned part of the room.

A moment later, blaster shots hit the wall close by.

Kyle looked and spotted two Gran in the center section, firing up at him.

He smiled, already knowing what to do.

Pulling himself out of shaft, Kyle slid on his butt down the angled wall towards the floor, his weapon already out and firing.

By the time he reached the bottom, both Gran were dead.

_Fools_, he thought.

He examined the room, looking for an exit, the feeling even stronger that 8t88 was somewhere nearby.

It was then Kyle noticed two exhaust fans built into floor.

He looked and noticed a floor beneath the one he was on.

It took less than a minute to time the cycle of the slower moving of the two blades.

Sliding through the opening, Kyle's feet struck the deck below.

An even stronger impulse hit him and he dropped onto his knees an instant before the blasts from another pair of Gran would have struck him.

Looking over his shoulder, Kyle spotted them and noticed the door they were standing in front of.

_That's where I need to go._

More shots arced in and struck.

The shield deflected four of them, but the fifth and sixth hit him.

Recoiling from the pain of impact, Kyle yelled out as fresh pain hit him, part of his mind wondering what had happened to the shield.

A quick glance told the tale. The power display was at zero.

Another shot hit his already wounded back, eliciting another cry from him.

_I'm in trouble, _Kyle thought; _no cover and no shield._

Kyle considered the very real possibility that he was going to die.

This thought brought with it renewed anger.

_**Yes, Katarn, **_the voice in his head said, _**there is power in pain. Focus on it, let it give you strength.**_

Focusing on his pain wasn't all that difficult, but as he did so, Kyle felt his power rise, becoming even more than it had been in the warehouse.

Somehow, even as more blaster shots struck, Kyle managed to turn around and draw his weapon.

The narrowness of the corridor he was in made aiming practically worthless.

He depressed the trigger of the weapon and held it down.

The blaster bucked in his hand as it discharged shot after shot.

The two Gran, caught by surprise, were hit multiple times.

But even as the fire from them slackened, then stopped, Kyle kept firing.

He was smiling crazily once more.

The Gran's bodies jerked to and fro as the blaster bolts struck them over and over again.

And then it was over, the power cell in the blaster drained.

Kyle let the useless weapon fall from his hand and stepped forward.

Looking down at what remained of the Gran; he casually reached down and took their weapons.

He took the power cell from one and holstered the other.

A brief examination found a control panel in the wall next to the door.

Kyle pressed a button and the door slid up.

Before him was a ramp leading down to an octagonal landing platform.

A Lambda-class shuttle sat in the middle of the platform, its boarding ramp extended.

And there, moving towards the shuttle; was the object of Kyle's search.

He considered opening fire right away.

_No_, he decided, _if I shoot from here, I might hit the disc. Besides, it'll be better up close and personal._

Kyle moved down the ramp, taking pains to conceal the sounds of his footsteps.

It wouldn't do to alert the droid to his presence.

As it turned out, 8t88 was taking its time heading towards the shuttle.

Kyle came to within a foot of the droid before halting and drawing his weapon.

Taking a deep breath, he spoke aloud.

"Leaving so soon, '88?"

The droid paused in mid-step and then, with the whine of servomotors, it turned round, all three of its photoreceptors taking in the figure standing there.

Before the droid could do anything else, Kyle fired a single, precisely aimed, shot.

With a small explosion, 8t88's left arm was severed and fell away.

But to Kyle's dismay, it hit the deck too close to the edge of the platform.

For a moment, the spindly arm hung there.

And then, even as Kyle shouted in protest, the arm fell over and out of sight.

Kyle looked back to the 8t88 who was scrambling as fast as it could towards the shuttle.

"You're not getting away!"

Kyle fired several more shots, but with his concentration broken, only a few struck, and most of these were on the shuttle's boarding ramp.

A few seconds later, the ramp having retracted into the shuttle's nose, its repulsors came on.

The shuttle lifted, somewhat unsteadily at first, then executed a perfect 180-degree turn.

Its thrusters came on, flaring with blue light as the shuttle moved away, its wings unfolding from their stowed position.

Even as Kyle mentally cursed himself for letting the droid get away, his fingers stabbed at his communicator, calling up a certain frequency.

A voice answered.

"Kyle?"

"Jan!" he shouted, "8t88's getting away! I need you here, now!"

* * *

**The **_**Moldy Crow**_

**Above Nar Shaddaa**

Since she had left Kyle, Jan had spent three fruitless hours trying to find a landing strip, docking port or unused platform.

Most of her calls had been met with more or less the same answer.

"We have nothing available."

And others, upon hearing her voice, had suggested a spot might be open if she was willing to often "certain services".

This had culminated in Jan offering a particularly sleazy Toydarian to demonstrate her skills with a blaster by setting his wings on fire.

And so it was that she was now in a parking orbit over the planet, using minimum engine and repulsor power to hold the ship in place.

Nearly another hour had passed without any word from Kyle, taking her worry quotient up another notch.

She considered for the umpteenth time just landing the ship somewhere and going out to look for him.

But if she got involved in a firefight…

She sighed.

_Next time, I'm bringing something to read. Even a holo-novel would be better than just sitting her waiting._

Suddenly, the comm panel lit up.

Jan checked the reading and saw the signal was coming in on the frequency she and Kyle had selected.

She opened the channel.

"Kyle?"

"Jan!" Kyle shouted, his loud shout filling the cockpit, "8t88's getting away! I need you here, now!"

Jan took a moment to recover it.

_Jeez, Katarn. Nice way to deafen me._

"Jan!" he called again, "Jan are you there? Answer me!"

She reached for the gain switch on the panel and dialed it down, reducing the volume of Kyle's voice to a more manageable level.

Jan wondered what was going on. Kyle being agitated during a mission she could handle, but the way he was shouting at her…

_What's going on down there?_

Kyle called up a third time and when he finally took a breath, Jan keyed her mike.

"Don't shout at me, Kyle," she said firmly.

She paused a moment.

"Tell me what's happening."


	4. Chapter 4: The Other

**Kyle Katarn: The Rise & Fall **

**Book 2: Birth of a Jedi **

**Chapter 4: The Other

* * *

**

A/N: Greetings to all, readers and reviewers alike! Shanesnest is back this week with Chapter 4 of Book 2 of Kyle Katarn: The Rise and Fall. I know I've said this countless times, but it bears repeating how much I enjoy and appreciate each of you who's supported me through the excruciatingly long process of Book 1 and have hung on for Book 2. Every time I look at my stats on my stories, the feeling is indescribable when I see the numbers and how people all over the world are reading my stuff.

So thank you all so very, very much! And now to the shout outs!

Tinuviel Undomiel: I think replaying the game has helped my action scenes, particularly since I'd forgotten how much Kyle gets shot at! I've seen Red Clark in Smallville, particularly when Jonathan acquired the powers to stop him. It's like he's the same guy, but not exactly. I got the idea of the holo novel from how I never go anywhere without a book cause I hate to be bored when I'm stuck somewhere. Your praise of my work is joyfully received!

Hitman Nx: In the Dark Forces game, the principal focus is on Kyle, since he's the character you control. What I'd like to achieve is a blend where both characters get screen time. Well… Jan _does_ use the _Crow's_ weapons, but on which ship you'll have to wait and see. Your suggestion inspired me to write a space combat scene, I hope you like it. As for Kyle falling to the Dark Side, he is sort of.

Nerwen Aldarion" Y'know, I struggled over how to write that cause I wanted to convey the right imagery, the right mix of weirdness and fun, guess it worked. Well, remember what Yoda said about the Dark Side, it's quicker, easier and more seductive. Power without responsibility or control. Kyle with the civilians is a scene I struggled with as I tried to decide exactly how far he would go with the Dark Side power. In the end, killing civies just didn't work for me. You make a great point about Jan seeing him like that. Maybe I should add that, hmmmm. Yes, the voices are back, and there's a twist to that in this chapter. I'll be interested to see what you think of it!

Manus Dei: Good to hear from you again! Glad you like the new offering! Yeah, I've been debating about highlighting the Bryar Pistol as I was never really impressed with it. It does make an appearance in Dark Forces, but as a combat weapon, I found it not too useful. You're right about the bad guys, they never learn at all. Oh well, they make excellent cannon fodder.

Tig94: Hey, you! Glad to see you're back! You make a good point, most people who talk about voices in their head would already be in a straightjacket shot full of Ritalin or something else! I can tell you that the voices are as follows. Bold text only = Rahn. Bold text with italics = Jerec. But check out this chap with bold text with quote marks for a new voice!

A/N: Keep the reviews and comments coming, please! I've gotten more than one scene from them. So, last time, Kyle was making his way through Nar Shaddaa and has felt the Dark Side calling strongly to him, as evidenced by the mess he's made of his attackers. And finally, he find 8t88 and blasts him, only to have the disc fall over the edge of the platform! And now, a TIE Bomber has appeared. What's gonna happen next? Let's find out!

* * *

**Nar Shaddaa**

**The Landing Platform**

"Don't shout at me, Kyle."

This statement took him by surprise.

_Was I shouting?_

"Tell me what's happening."

For a moment, Kyle considered unleashing another verbal tirade. Here he was, wounded, 8t88 escaping and Jan was chastising him.

_Not now. The important thing is to catch 8t88 before he gets away._

Even as he began to speak, Kyle realized he felt a bit strange, as if he was smaller. No, not smaller, it was more like something was missing from inside him.

"It's 8t88, Jan," Kyle said, he said with far less emotion and volume than before, "he's getting away in a shuttle. We need to…"

A new sound reached his ears.

It grew until the object causing it came into view.

Kyle's eyes widened as he recognized the TIE Bomber he had seen earlier.

Jan was speaking at nearly the same time.

"Activate your locator beacon, Kyle," she told him, "I can't find you otherwise."

Even as his mind took in the ship hovering before him, part of Kyle's mind heard the words and understood.

His right hand reached out and pressed a control on his left wrist.

The TIE rose further, its left side dipping for a moment, then stabilizing.

"Oh, Sithspit," he muttered.

* * *

**The **_**Moldy Crow **_

A new indicator lit up on the control, Kyle's locator beacon.

The computer processed the signal and displayed its origin on the radar screen.

The location was close by.

Jan fed power to the drive and pushed the control stick to the left and down, sending the _Crow_ into a diving left turn.

"Oh Sithspit," came Kyle's voice over the speaker.

The words themselves weren't unfamiliar to Jan, but it was the way they were said that had her pushing the throttles to the stops.

_He's in trouble.

* * *

_

**The Landing Platform**

Kyle didn't know what to do.

He briefly considered running, but where to? He was completely exposed on the platform.

He saw a green flash and a moment later, the blast wave from the TIE's cannon fire sent him flying.

Turning over in mid-air; Kyle hit the ground on his chest and stomach, the impact sending renewed waves of pain shooting through his body.

He managed to turn onto his side and saw the TIE drifting closer.

_This'll be the kill shot_, he thought with certainty, _blast you Jan Ors! Where are you? I'm about to…_

The thought went unfinished as a stream of red lasers arced down from above.

A few hit the platform, the rest sliced into the TIE Bomber.

The Imperial ship exploded in a fireball.

_I'm… not dead_, Kyle thought.

Just then, he heard a familiar whine.

Less than ten seconds later, the ungainly form of the _Moldy Crow_ shot into view, it's nose flaring up as the repulsors worked to slow the ship.

Rising painfully to his feet, Kyle smiled at the sight before him.

* * *

**The **_**Moldy Crow**_

**About one minute ago**

As she descended through multiple levels of the vertical city, Jan strained her eyes, looking for a sign, any sign of Kyle.

A flash off to the right caught her attention.

She glanced in that direction and saw a TIE Bomber hovering near a landing platform.

And as she drew closer, she noticed a figure sprawled on it.

Despite the urgency of the moment, Jan shook her head. She had seen this scene repeated more than once on more than one world.

"Why is it whenever I need to find you that you're always in some kind of trouble, Kyle?" she muttered.

Activating the _Crow_'s laser cannon, Jan settled the crosshairs over the TIE and fired.

A half-dozen shots leapt from the barrel of the weapon, three of them striking the landing platform. The other three ripping into the Bomber.

It quickly became a fireball of incandescent gas.

Approaching the platform, Jan cut power to the engines and fired the repulsors hard, working to slow the _Crow_.

She managed to bring the vessel into a hover about seven feet above the platform.

She noticed Kyle was on his feet and looking up at her.

For a moment, his expression seemed angry, but then it changed, a smile appeared on his face.

Well, not so much a smile as a smirk.

"Jan," he called, "what a pleasant surprise!"

Her first impulse was to yell at him.

She had just flown in here, thrusters blazing and destroyed a TIE Bomber that surely would have killed him, and here he was acting almost cavalier about it.

_Well, if that's the case, then two can play this game_.

She raised her goggles so they rested above her brows.

"What would you do without me, Kyle?" she returned, smirking back at him.

He raised a hand to his chin and rubbed at it, appearing to be thinking about it.

Jan raised an eyebrow at him.

"Don't think about too hard, Katarn," she called, "you might hurt yourself."

Kyle's eyes widened at this.

"Touché`," he said.

Just then, the _Crow_'s proximity alarm went off.

Jan scanned the threat board and saw that there at least two, possibly three incoming signals.

"So much for the relaxing chat," she said to herself.

To Kyle, she yelled, "Company's coming."

"Jan," he called, his expression serious now, "I need the grapnel," he called.

Nodding, she retrieved the device and tossed it to him.

He caught it with a two handed grip and then yelled one last thing.

"Meet at the top of this place! I've got to get that disc!"

She responded by closing the cockpit and wheeling the _Crow_ around. The thrusters flared and the ship leapt away.

About thirty seconds later, Kyle saw two TIE fighters and a TIE Interceptor howl past where he was. They headed after the _Crow_.

_Good luck, Jan, _he thought, _be careful._

It also occurred to Kyle how his mood had shifted so suddenly.

One moment, he had been furious with Jan, thinking she had left him to die.

Even after the TIE Bomber had exploded and the _Crow _appeared, he had still been angry.

But when Jan's face had become visible, it was as if all of the anger had drained out of him.

He realized he had been happy to see her, and relieved that she had come in time.

How could he not be grateful to her?

And, at the same time, how could he not tease her a bit too?

Still, the sudden shift in mood was troubling.

However, now was not the time to contemplate it. He needed to retrieve 8t88s arm and get his father's disc, then find a route to the top of this structure and meet up with Jan.

_Sure,_ he thought to himself, _no problem at all._

Then he looked over the edge of the platform into the yawning blackness below.

_No problem? I've gotta be nuts!_

Still, it needed to be done.

Aiming the grapnel, Kyle pulled the trigger.

A three prong spike struck the surface of the platform and dug in, its tines gaining a firm hold in the permacrete.

Kyle gave the attached line a few experimental pulls, and then moved towards the edge of the platform once again.

Even though he knew the grapnel was secure, the drop below was unwelcome to say the least.

_Well, _he thought, _here goes._

He carefully moved his legs out into space, and then lowered himself until only his hands were touching the platform.

_This thing had better work, _he thought, eyeing the grapnel's handholds.

Moving in two quick, precise steps, he slipped his left hand into one handhold, then his right into the other.

The grapnel now bore his entire weight.

The line jerked and shook, but settled down after a few seconds.

Most important of all, it held.

Opening his tightly shut eyes, Kyle smiled and laughed a bit hysterically.

"Sure, it works. No problem, knew it would all along."

_And I'll just keep telling myself that until I actually believe it._

With his fingers, Kyle touched one of the recessed buttons on the grapnel.

The motor inside began to whine as it paid out line, lowering him.

Nearly five minutes passed before a dimly illuminated section of deck came into view.

Kyle noticed the small display built into the grapnel indicated he had come down nearly six meters.

The deck below got closer and closer until finally his boots touched it.

Making sure he had a firm footing, Kyle pressed another button on the grapnel,

Up above him, small drills built into the tines begin to whirr as they worked to remove the spike from the permacrete.

It took nearly a minute, but finally it came free.

Stepping back from the edge several paces, Kyle took a deep breath and gave the grapnel a quick, hard yank.

The spike scraped along the edge of the platform and fell over.

The grapnel's motor worked to retrieve the line quickly, but as Kyle had expected the spike came shooting past where he was and fell out of sight.

He grasped the device tightly and braced himself.

The shock, when it came, was less than he expected, but would have been enough to pull him over the edge had he not been ready.

He waited until the spike reappeared, the grapnel pulling it in until the three-pronged spike snapped into its enclosure.

Attaching the device to his belt, Kyle scanned the area around him.

At first there seemed to be nothing, but then he felt the movement of air, brushing past him.

_Wish I'd brought a luma_, he thought.

It took several minutes before he saw an outline of whitish metal in contrast to the dark metal of the floor he was walking on.

Getting closer, Kyle saw that the whitish metal was actually something built into the floor.

Another few steps and he was able to discern that it was an airshaft.

And there, lying against the "floor" of the shaft was 8t88's arm.

Kyle smiled at seeing this.

The question was; how to get to it?

Sitting down on the lip of the shaft, Kyle slid his legs forward and carefully lowered the rest of his body forward.

Unfortunately, he found the shaft to be far slicker than it appeared.

His right foot slipped and down he went.

The sound of a clank reached his ears and looking down; Kyle saw his foot had managed to catch the droid arm.

_Well, that's one way to get it._

He continued to slide down and forward for a distance, until friction and the reduced angle of the shaft slowed his headlong plunge until he finally came to a stop.

Moving carefully, Kyle managed to regain his feet.

Looking around, he saw that he had reached an area where the airshaft reached a dead end.

Ahead of him, a metal gate blocked forward progress.

Two more shafts were visible to either side, the one to the left leading upwards and the other down and out of sight.

Ahead of Kyle was a raised platform with some kind of machinery atop it.

He could only guess at its purpose.

He started in the direction of the left hand shaft when a familiar, but unwelcome sight appeared.

Rising from behind the odd looking machinery was a Gran.

But instead of brandishing a blaster, it held something Kyle couldn't quite see.

The Gran's right arm went back and then forward as it threw whatever it was holding.

Kyle heard a metallic clank as the object hit the deck next to where he was.

He looked down, his eyes widening in horror.

_A thermal detonator!_

Kyle tried to move, but the slick metal of the shaft made quick moves all but impossible.

The metal orb let out a high pitched sound a second before it exploded.

Caught by the blast, Kyle found himself pitched forward out of the shaft and into the air.

Before he could manage a coherent thought, he fell into the right hand shaft and dropped down.

* * *

**Local space of Nar Shaddaa**

**Cockpit of the **_**Moldy Crow**_

Another shimmering green bolt of energy leapt from the TIE fighter's cannons, passing just under the starboard wing of the _Moldy Crow._

Jan slowed the ship as she negotiated another sharp turn, and then shoved the throttles forward, pushing the _Crow_'s engines for all they were worth.

She bit back a curse as the ship's radar indicated the TIEs were still on her.

Jan had thought taking the _Crow_ directly into the narrow spaceways of Nar Shaddaa would discourage the Imperials, but her pursuers had so far proven equal to all the challenges she had presented them.

She hit the braking thrusters hard; diving underneath a Corellian Corvette that had managed to shoehorn itself into a space meant for a ship half its size.

The TIEs stayed with her.

Frustrated as she was, Jan felt a bit of admiration for the Imperial pilots.

Nar Shaddaa was a difficult place to navigate even at normal speeds. But at the pace she was keeping, a moment's distraction could make the difference between negotiating a corner successfully or ending up a smear on the wall.

She guided the _Crow _over a permacrete structure stretching between two buildings, and then quickly dived to avoid a hauler coming the other way.

Still, the TIEs stayed with her, their blaster fire barely missing.

_This is not going to work, _Jan thought, _I've got to try something else._

An idea came to her, a maneuver that was equal parts danger and surprise.

_It could work. But I need the right place…_

As she moved between two slow moving trash haulers, Jan noticed another ship ahead of her.

Seeming to float above the streets of Nar Shaddaa, the rounded vessel with a square tail displayed a large advertising board protruding from the top of its hull, displaying various promotions in multiple languages.

She had seen a number of these ships since arriving on Nar Shaddaa and noticed how their lights from their advertisements displays could be blinding if you weren't careful.

Jan nodded to herself.

_Here goes._

She gave the throttles another push, trying to wring as much speed out of the _Crow_ as she could.

The advertisement vessel grew closer by the second.

She was perhaps five meters away when she cut the engines and engaged the repulsors, guiding the _Crow_ on momentum alone until she was positioned right next to one of the plasteel pillars holding the electronic sign aloft.

Jan quickly slid her goggles into place, the lenses going opaque to keep her eyes from being overwhelmed by the light from overhead.

No sooner had she gotten the _Crow_ settled in place than the lead ship pursuing her, a TIE Interceptor, came roaring in.

A few seconds passed before two TIE fighters appeared as well.

They shot underneath the advertisement vessel, and passed by.

Jan smiled as she re-ignited the engines and used the repulsors to maneuver out from under the lighted sign, her goggles altering their opacity to give her a clear view.

Dropping under the large vessel, Jan fed power to the drive, sending the _Crow_ ahead.

She steadily advanced the throttle until it was once again up against the stops.

A check of the radar showed the TIEs ahead of her, the distance between her and them decreasing by the second.

Through another series of twists and turns, Jan guided the ship, eyes flicking from the view outside to the radar display and back again.

It took a little more than six minutes before she spotted the first of the group of Imperial ships.

She closed in, until only a few dozen meters separated her from them.

Activating the _Crow_'s laser turret, she worked to center the targeting reticule over the first of the TIEs.

* * *

**Local space of Nar Shaddaa**

**TIE Fighter Alpha 2**

The pilot gave off a grunt as he turned his ship to avoid another obstruction.

Though he was confident of his flying ability, the man found the constantly changing landscape of Nar Shaddaa one of the most difficult places he had ever flown through.

_One slip here; and I won't live to regret it._

Just then, over his comm, the pilot heard his wingmate.

"Alpha 1 to Gamma 1."

"Go ahead Alpha 1," came the reply from the squadron leader.

"I'm not detecting the Rebel ship anymore. Do you have visual?"

A brief pause

"Negative, Alpha 1," came the response, the voice tinged with annoyance.

"Do you think we lost it?"

"I don't see how," said Gamma 1, "it's been in front of us this whole time. So how could…"

Suddenly, Alpha 2 felt something strike his ship, and strike it hard.

The ship jerked up, then down and to the right.

The pilot pulled hard on his controls, trying to stabilize his craft.

"This is Alpha 2!" he called, "something just hit me! I'm trying to get control. Can you…"

A second hammer blow struck the ship and the pilot knew nothing more.

The pilots of the other fighters heard the loud call from their wingmate, then a sudden silence.

Alpha 1 was about to speak when the roar of an explosion from somewhere behind him reached his ears.

An instant later, crimson bolts passed over the roof of his cockpit.

"Gamma 1, this is Alpha 1!" the pilot cried, "We're under attack! Something beh…"

His ship was struck, the impact exploding the cockpit.

The pilot had just enough time to see the metal walls around him crumple and separate as his craft slammed into a building and exploded.

* * *

**Cockpit of the Moldy Crow **

Jan grinned savagely as the second TIE detonated against side of a building.

_Two down_, she thought, _now for the last one. _

She closed on the TIE Interceptor.

* * *

**Cockpit of the TIE Interceptor Gamma 1 **

The pilot cursed himself for not figuring it sooner.

Somehow the Rebel ship he had pursuing only a short while ago had somehow gotten behind him.

And now both of his wingmen were gone.

_But I'm not going to make it that easy, Alliance scum._

Shifting power from his lasers to his engines, the pilot increased his speed.

_Try and follow me if you can.

* * *

_

**Cockpit of the **_**Moldy Crow **_

Jan felt momentary surprise as the Interceptor suddenly accelerated, pulling ahead of her and out of weapons range.

She checked her instruments, engines reading full power, currently running at 105%.

But still, the TIE was pulling away.

_This is probably a bad idea, _she thought, _but I can afford to let him go._

Her fingers flew across a set of controls, drawing power from the _Crow_'s shields.

She then re-directed the energy into the engines.

The ship seemed to buck, and then leapt forward like a race horse that had been spurred.

The sudden acceleration pinned Jan to her seat until the inertial compensators were able to make up the difference.

Her eyes were glued to the view outside.

She couldn't afford even a second's glance at the instruments, given the speed she was traveling at.

But had she looked, Jan would have seen that the speed reading was pegged at all 9's, the engines now running at nearly 200%.

The two ships weaved through the streets and alleys of Nar Shaddaa, ducking over and under obstacles, slicing around turns with mere inches left to spare.

And despite the fact that they were on opposite sides, both pilots felt exhilaration at the chase, the chance to really test their respective skills.

_You're good, _they both thought.

Suddenly, the TIE executing a half-looping, stomach-turning, nearly 90 degree turn down an area that struck Jan as familiar.

Her mind quickly reviewed what she could remember of the spaceways of Nar Shaddaa and with a sudden flash, she realized she _did_ know this particular path.

And while this normally would have given her the advantage, this particular path presented one obstacle she could not ignore.

It was a dead end.

Going on for about three miles, she had found this spaceway ended in a wall with no way out but up.

_And given the speed we're traveling…_

_She _quickly did the mental math on the remaining distance.

_Oh Sithspit!_

She grabbed the throttles and pulled them all the way back, at the same time angling the _Crow_'s nose upwards.

The vessel shot skyward, its headlong rush imparting plenty of momentum to send it several hundred feet up.

* * *

**Cockpit of Gamma 1**

The pilot smiled as his radar indicated the pursuing ship was slowing and beginning to climb.

_You Rebels just aren't good enough, are you?_

Now all he had to was reverse course and pursue.

Suddenly, a warning alarm began to sound.

Confused, the pilot turned to look at it, but his attention was diverted as he saw the massive wall of black he was hurtling towards.

* * *

**Cockpit of the **_**Moldy Crow**_

Still climbing above Nar Shaddaa, Jan was able to see the explosion as the TIE Interceptor slammed into the wall at the end of the spaceway.

And, while the destruction of the Imperial ship meant the end of her final pursuer, Jan felt a pang of sympathy for the deaths, particularly of the pilot of the TIE Interceptor.

_It's a shame you were on the wrong side, _she thought, _we could've used pilots like you three._

Momentum finally bled off, the _Crow_ slowed to a relative stop high above Nar Shaddaa.

She activated the repulsors, maneuvering the ship so she could look down on the vertical city.

Though the high perch allowed her to see more of the planet, it made figuring out where the landing platform she had left Kyle on supremely difficult.

She considered trying to find it on her own, but quickly discarded the idea.

_I could be searching for hours. And if Kyle needs me…_

A vision of Kyle, encircled by enemies, looking in vain for her to come flying to the rescue flashed across her mind.

A shiver worked its way down her spine.

Several minutes passed as she considered how best to find the platform.

She finally settled on a solution that she was fairly confident in, but not very pleased with.

She opened a comm channel and called out.

"_Moldy Crow_ to Nar Shaddaa Traffic Control, please come in."

The speaker crackled and then…

"Well, hello again there, darlin'" the traffic control officer answered in a thick drawl, "didn't think I'd be hearing from ya agin."

Jan shook her head.

She had contacted this same office earlier trying to find a landing spot.

The officer who had answered seemed to be genuinely pleased to be talking to a female and commented that her voice sounded, "… awful sweet".

It was also equally clear that he was trying his best to hit on her. But his attempts were at best clumsy and at worst, repugnant.

But right now, Jan needed information.

_Besides, _she told herself, _it's not like any of this is going to be serious._

"Well hello there, yourself," she said, putting as much sensuality and suggestiveness into her voice as she could stand without sounding fake, "you doing okay?"

"Much better now that you're callin' darlin'" the man oozed, "you seemed kinda upset last time."

_Kinda upset? Last time, you asked me what kind of underwear I was wearing! _

"Well, I still haven't found a place to park my ship," she forced herself to continue, adding a tinge of sadness, "and I'm getting really bored sittin' up here all by myself."

"Well, ain't that just a shame?" the man drawled, "Sweet sounding thing like you stuck in your ship."

_Oh, I'll show you how sweet I am, you pig!_

"It really is," she replied sweetly, fighting not grimace, "and I really like a chance to shower and change my clothes and shower. I've been wearing the same thing for nearly three days now."

She could hear the man's breathing grow faster.

"Well darlin'," the traffic officer said, his voice a little unsteady, "that just ain't right."

_Time to go for the kill_.

"I know you're busy, "she said with feigned smoothness, "but isn't there something you can do to help me? I'd be ever so grateful."

There was a long pause from the other end.

_Hope I didn't give him a heart attack._

"Darlin'" the man said suddenly, his heavy breathing loud in Jan's ear, "I really shouldn't do this. But you're awful sweet and sound like you're in real trouble. So come on in, docking pad A-12."

"Oh!" she exclaimed brightly, "thank you soooooo muuuuuuccchhh."

"You're welcome darlin'" the man replied, "I'm lookin' forward to meeting ya."

_I'll just bet you are._

"Could I ask you one more thing?" she said hopefully.

"Anythin' darlin'" the man oozed, "anythin'."

"There's a friend of mine I'm supposed to meet later. But I can't remember exactly where the place is. Could you help me?"

"I might, darlin'," the man said, a note of caution in his voice, "but let me ask you. Is this frien' o' yours a man or a woman?"

"Oh, she's a girl," Jan replied.

Now the man's breath was nearly a hurricane in her ear.

"Well… well now," he said, fighting for breath, "that sounds just… just fine darlin'. I might like to meet this friend of yours."

_You sick bastard._

"Oh, I'm sure I can arrange that," she forced herself to say silkily, "she's supposed to be at the top level of a building near the Rimmer's Rest cantina."

There was another long pause.

"I found it, darlin'," the man said, "You want the coordinates?"

"I would _love_ them," she replied.

Ten seconds later, the computer registered receipt of the information.

_Alright! _

"So darlin', can I expect you here soon?"

Flushed with joy over knowing where to find Kyle, Jan found the next line a little easier.

"I'll be there as soon as I can find you… darlin'" she said, nearly spitting out the last word.

_Like never, you sick pig!_

With that, she closed the channel and reviewed the location provided by the traffic officer.

The building proved to be some distance away.

_I'd better head over there now. Hopefully, Kyle won't keep me waiting this time._

Turning the _Crow _in the direction indicated; she engaged the thrusters.

* * *

**Somewhere in the bowels of Nar Shaddaa**

Even as the Gran's arm came forward, Kyle blasted it in mid-swing.

The thermal detonator in its hand fell to the deck and exploded, catapulting what was left of the body over the edge of the deck.

With the final enemy taken care of, Kyle slumped back against the metal wall behind him and slid down to the deck, breathing heavily.

He reached up to his left temple and gently probed.

He grimaced at the pain it brought, but withstood it. Bringing his hand back into view, he saw the wound there was still bleeding.

He considered trying to apply another bandage, but since the first attempt had nearly resulted in his passing out, he decided against it.

The area on his right shoulder gave off another throb.

He craned his neck to look at the appendage, the shoulder covering blackened and torn from the explosion of the shield power cells. The skin beneath was burned, but not severely.

_Blasted thing was supposed to protect me_, he thought.

His headlong plunge down the airshaft seemed to have been a long time ago when in reality it had been a little less than fifteen minutes ago.

Fortunately, the slick metal of the shaft had cushioned his fall enough to keep him from being knocked unconscious, but not much more.

His shoulders and back had taken the brunt of the impact, the fall turning into a slide until he reached the bottom of the shaft inside a new room.

Unsure of where he was, Kyle activated the small computer planted in one of his wrist gauntlets and set it to help him figure out where he was in terms of getting to the top of the structure.

The computer's laser tracker penetrated through miles of permacrete and in time, returned the answer.

The path it illuminated first guided Kyle into another warehouse where large, two-armed cranes were being used to move crates similar to what he had seen earlier.

He had just reached a room with a set of ramps leading upwards and an open space beyond when he was attacked from behind by five Grans.

He had just been about to activate the shield when a lucky shot from one of the aliens had struck his right shoulder.

The energy blast penetrated and struck one of the shield power cells.

It exploded, taking the others with it.

Kyle had cried out in pain as his arm was burned, even as he managed to switch his blaster from his right hand to his left.

Finding some cover behind a group of crates in the room, he managed to kill two of the Grans, but then had come a deadly rain of thermal detonators.

Abandoning his cover, Kyle ran out just as an explosion ripped the crates apart, sending shrapnel all over the place.

Dropping to the floor had allowed him to avoid most of it, although one of the Gran wasn't so lucky.

With only two remaining, Kyle thought he might have more of a chance until one of the aliens threw a fresh detonator at him.

As the silvery orb sailed towards him, Kyle had acted instinctively and fielded the device with a one-handed catch.

Realizing what he was holding, he quickly hurled the device back at the Gran.

The surprised alien stood there as the detonator struck the ground close by and exploded, killing it

Now, with the final one dispatched, Kyle struggled to his feet.

His body desired more rest, but he knew the longer he waited; the bigger the chance that more attackers would appear.

And in the state he was in, another battle might well finish him off.

Reaching the slanting ramps, Kyle started up the first, and then turned to follow the second and third ones.

At the top of the final ramp, a short corridor appeared leading to an open doorway.

He proceeded forward, finding another ramp, but this time leading downwards.

Going down this one, he found himself in a new room with yet another upward slanting ramp.

But before he could go to this one, Kyle heard a strange sound.

It sounded almost like a drain backing up and he was instantly reminded of Puan's laugh.

But then the sound came again and he knew it hadn't come from a Quarren.

He heard the sound of metal on metal and then a curious sensation as the Gamorrean guard who had standing in the shadows of the down ramp swung its large axe, the sharpened metal slicing into Kyle's back.

At first, it felt like a piece of cold metal sliding down his spine. Strange, but not unpleasant.

Then, the message from the nerve endings reached the brain.

Kyle screamed loudly as the skin of his back was laid open, the pain nearly overwhelming.

Somehow, he managed to turn and see his attacker, who was raising the axe for a second attack.

Imperial training kicked in and Kyle moved, even as the pain surged inside him.

His blaster came up and fired, a single crimson bolt striking the Gamorrean.

And to his surprise, it had no effect.

The large alien swung its axe and Kyle forced his hurting body to dodge, even as he tried to line up another shot.

The axe swished past in a current of air and struck the metal deck.

Unprepared for this, the Gamorrean was bent forward, trying to pull it free.

Seizing the opportunity, Kyle fired three more shots.

The Gamorrean gave a loud cry, but didn't fall.

_What in the name of all that's holy _is_ this thing?_

The Gamorrean still struggled with the axe.

Stepping forward, Kyle jammed his blaster into the side of the alien's head and pulled the trigger.

This time, the Gamorrean screamed, the blaster tearing part of its head open and evaporating the contents of its brain.

Smoke drifted out and the alien fell to the ground by its axe with a loud smack.

Any relief Kyle might have was short lived as he heard the same sound again, and close by.

Looking round, Kyle saw a second Gamorrean coming down the up ramp.

He tried to swing his blaster towards it, but the alien was already in mid swing with its axe.

Kyle was struck in the chest by the flat of the blade, the blow catapulting him off the ground.

He flew back, smashing into the other ramp on his back.

Pain seared his mind, making it impossible to think.

His vision tunneled, grayed.

_Can't pass out, _he thought, _I'm dead if I do._

But it was too late.

"**You just gonna go to sleep there?"**

Kyle's eyes flew open. But instead of the metal walls and ceiling of the room he had been in, he was in a different space.

"**Get up already. We need to talk."**

Kyle was about to protest, but suddenly found he _could_ move. He sat up easily, no pain or discomfort at all.

The space he was in was a mixture of gray and white, the colors shifting in and out in a constant flow all around him.

"Where am I? Where is the place? What…"

"**Where you are is immaterial at the moment. What is important is what's happening to you."**

Though he could hear the other voice clearly, Kyle could see no one.

"Where are you? Who are you?"

"**Also immaterial at the moment. Besides, you'll find out soon enough. Now, unless you want to waste more time with stupid questions, we need to address what's happening to you right now."**

Though he didn't appreciate the tone in which the voice spoke in, Kyle found himself agreeing.

"That Gamorrean attacked me; sliced my back. And then the other…"

"**Knocked you on your ass. An amazing display of ineptness for a former Imperial."**

Kyle gritted his teeth.

"You think you could do any better?"

The voice laughed; a loud, heart laugh.

"**I had forgotten how headstrong you are. It's rather refreshing."**

"Now who's wasting time?" Kyle said.

"**Touché," the voice replied, "to the point then. You **_**do**_** realize you're about to die."**

Kyle's first impulse was to deny this, but then he considered what had just happened to him, the second Gamorrean's blow.

"I suppose."

Another laugh.

"**Unless you want Jan crying over your corpse, I suggest you listen to me."**

An image of Jan, tears in her eyes, crossed Kyle's mind.

The voice continued.

"**You know there is power in you."**

"Oh, not this again!" Kyle scoffed, "I had enough of this garbage from Dark!"

"**Dark is an ambitious fool who fails to see what is right in front of him. You are destined to be far greater than he."**

"Yeah, sure," Kyle said, his tone belying his words.

"**This is no game, Kyle! Unless you listen to me, you will die right here and now!"**

Stunned by the sudden anger in the other, Kyle said nothing.

The voice continued, a bit calmer.

"**You really have no idea of the great power inside waiting to be born, Kyle. I can give you a taste of it now, if you will listen to me. You already know the alternative."**

Something inside him told Kyle the other was speaking the truth.

"All right, let's just say for the moment that I believe you. How is it you know so much about me?"

In the midst of the swirling gray and white, a figure suddenly appeared.

A black cloak covered it from head to toe.

Black boots appeared as the figure began to walk towards Kyle.

It moved close.

Kyle stared at the cloaked figure.

"Who are you?"

Hands sheathed in black gloves appeared, reaching up the hood, lifting it and drawing it back.

Kyle eyes widened in stunned surprise, a gasp escaping him.

He was looking at himself.

Not, not exactly himself.

Another Kyle, but the features of this one were "darker" somehow. Hooded eyes, sallowed cheeks and a cold smile looked out from the face.

"**Your eyes do not deceive you, Kyle. I am you. Or rather, what you might become if you will follow the path set out before you. And to do that, you must live."**

"How…?" Kyle began.

"**We have no more time for questions. I cannot hold this time in place any longer. Unless you want to die right here and now, you have once choice, accept my offer."**

The other Kyle extended a black-gloved hand.

Kyle stared at it for a long moment, and then tentatively reached out with his own hand.

The other Kyle smiled as the two clasped hands.

"**Well done. You have taken another step along the path, Kyle. A step towards your destiny."**

And with that, the gray-white room faded, and resolved itself into the space on Nar Shaddaa once again.

Kyle's eyes snapped open, taking in the scene.

Then he heard and saw the Gamorrean above, raising its axe for the killing strike.

_Or so it thinks_.

Kyle noticed the pain he felt was still present, but was a dull roar compared to how it had been before.

At the same time, he felt as if an electric current were coursing through him, charging him up, strengthening him, providing him with power, power he could use.

The Gamorrean noticed the human's eyes had changed somehow.

Its simple brain registered that the irises had darkened and the sclera had assumed a rusty red color.

It also noted that the human was smiling, which was confusing.

The Gamorrean looked down on him, its foul breath washing over him.

He smiled up at it and then moved.

To the alien, it appeared as if the human was there one moment and gone the next.

And the next moment, the axe it held was ripped away.

Suddenly, the Gamorrean found the human standing close by.

"Here," it said, "I believe this is yours."

Kyle swung the axe down, the blade glinting in the light as caught the Gamorrean in the neck and sliced in.

Letting go of the handle, Kyle stepped back, watching, listening as the alien screamed in pain, the collapsed, blood already to pool around it.

_I enjoyed that, _Kyle thought, staring down at the body.

Suddenly, he heard a voice yell.

Whirling around, Kyle saw a pair of Gran advancing towards him from the down ramp.

_Good._

Both aliens brandished blasters, but suddenly their target moved, appearing right in front of them.

Smiling widely at their surprise, Kyle struck, lifting his left leg to catch one of the Gran just under its chest.

Bellowing, the three-eyed alien backed away, clutching its middle.

The second one managed to get off a shot, but somehow, Kyle dodged it.

He grabbed the shooters wrist and twisted.

It yelled out in pain, the blaster falling from its hand.

Kyle retrieved it, jamming the weapon into the Gran's chest and pulling the trigger.

The force of the blast sent the body flying backwards until it hit the ramp and lay still.

Kyle turned to the first Gran, who had managed to recover from his blow.

It rushed forward, knocking the blaster from his hand.

Caught by surprise, Kyle wasn't prepared for the second attack as the Gran landed a punch to his chest.

The blow was staggering, backing him up a few steps.

_It… that thing… hit me!_

Enraged, Kyle ran forward, smashing a fist into the Gran's face.

It tried to counterattack, but he blocked the blow with ease this time.

"Alien scum! How dare you touch me!"

Kyle landed two more punches, the second a haymaker that knocked the Gran's head back on its neck.

Stepping forward, Kyle grabbed its heads in both his hands and yanked down roughly.

The Gran's body tried to bend, but it wasn't enough.

The sound of bones breaking filled the air as the Gran screamed in agony.

Only when its final cry had faded did Kyle let go.

He stared down at the broken body, part of him wishing he hadn't killed the Gran so quickly.

A sudden impulse struck him.

At the top of his lungs, Kyle cried out.

"NONE OF YOU WILL STOP ME! I WILL KILL YOU ALL!"

He stood there for a few minutes, breathing heavily.

Part of his mind told him to check his wrist computer.

He did so, seeing the next part of the path he needed to take to the surface.

Retrieving the blaster the Gran had knocked away, Kyle head up the down ramp and into the next room.

He wondered if any more would try to attack him, how, when, then realized he didn't really care what was arrayed against him.

He had the power, the power to destroy anything in his way.

Proceeding forward, Kyle proceeded through two more warehouses and soon found himself in an open space where large crane arms sat seemingly unattended.

A trio of Grans appeared as he was investigating one of the cranes in a space opposite from him and at least ten meters away.

They opened fire, most of their shots missing due to the distance.

But for Kyle, it meant nothing.

Raising his blaster, he fired a flurry of shots in the direction of his attackers.

One by one, the Grans cried out as they were hit.

One staggered fell and fell into the open space, its body disappearing as it fell into blackness.

Kyle smiled at this, and then resumed his exploration of the room.

It took time, but he eventually figured out that he needed to manipulate the controls for a crane arm opposite of the one he was near in order to cross to the other side and continue.

Pressing the control button, Kyle stepped onto the crane arm and out onto its very edge.

Normally, he didn't care much for heights and avoided them whenever possible, but at this moment, standing on the edge of the arm, an interminable drop below, he felt exhilarated.

When the other crane arm approached, he simply stepped forward onto it and continued walking.

Traveling up a lift led him to a room with a large conveyor belt upon which equally large crates were guided down to another point.

Again, it took time, but Kyle figured out there were angled shafts built into the shaft the crates came down on that would allow him to rise further up towards the top of the building.

Reaching the first ramp, he saw that he was going have to wait until one of the large crates appeared to allow him to cross to the next angled shaft opposite from him.

When the crate came, Kyle waited until it was level with both sides, and then simply walked across it, confident he would reach the other side without fail.

This he did through three other shafts, reaching a room where two of the porcine Gamorrean guards attacked him.

Kyle smiled as he raised his blaster and shot them dead.

Also in the room was a white-coated droid with a strange looking face. Though it posed no threat, Kyle blasted it anyway.

Proceeding into another room, three more Gran attacked.

Kyle used the remaining charge in his blaster to kill one, smashed one into the wall hard enough to snap its neck, and then used its blaster on the third Gran.

He sensed he was getting closer to the top.

_Jan had better be there, _he thought.

The next room he stepped into was occupied by a humanoid man and woman. They eyed Kyle suspiciously as he moved past them.

Briefly, he considered eliminating them, but they seemed to pose little threat to him.

He was midway down a ramp to the lower level of the room when the woman's voice rang out sharp and strong.

"Look out!"

Kyle raised his blaster and swiveled his head around looking for a target.

"Underneath!" called the man.

Kyle understood.

Pushing off on his right foot, he ran down the ramp, and then threw himself ahead, executing a forward roll.

Coming up, Kyle turned precisely on his heel just at the Rodian hiding near the ramp came out firing.

Even as the shots landed around him, Kyle felt no fear.

He was about to shoot when an idea came to his mind. Shifting his aim, Kyle blasted the Rodian's hand, destroying two of its fingers along with the laser pistol it held.

Screaming in pain and anger, the Rodian clutched its hurt hand.

Smiling, Kyle advanced on it, stopping a short distance away.

Suddenly, the Rodian lashed out, trying to strike him.

Kyle drew back, the blow just missing him.

Eyes widening, he glared at the Rodian, lips drawing back, exposing his teeth.

With a cry of rage, he brought the blaster over his head and slashed down, the blow striking the Rodian in the face.

The alien went down to its knees, crying out.

"You barely worth the effort to kill you," Kyle growled, jamming the blaster into the Rodian's head and firing.

Hearing a footstep, he whirled again, finger tightening on the trigger.

But instead of another attacker, he found the man and woman, standing on the ramp, staring at him with wide eyes.

Again, he felt the impulse to shoot, but resisted.

It had been because of them that he known about the Rodian.

He managed something like a smile.

"Appreciate the help," he said, and turned away.

More corridors and lifts eventually brought Kyle to a huge room where the floor ahead dipped down and then narrowed into a corridor at the far end.

Walking across, he spied three Gran on the lower floor.

A new idea came to him.

Pushing off on his right foot, Kyle ran towards where the floor dipped down and jumped.

The Gran, hearing the approaching footsteps, turned to see the human flying towards them.

All of them grabbed for their blasters, but the human fired first, blaster shots lancing out even as he was in mid-air.

When Kyle's feet touched the lower floor, he only had to fire two more shots to eliminate the last Gran.

He exulted, body and mind filled with an inexpressible feeling.

It was so easy.

So easy.

The power.

The power he possessed.

It gave him everything.

He was faster, stronger, his mind more alert and quick than it had ever been.

_Is this what that other Kyle meant? Is this part of my destiny?_

As he moved into another room and a new attacker appeared, Kyle decided such contemplation would have to wait for now.

Right now, there was work to do.


	5. Chapter 5: A Single Mistake

**Kyle Katarn: The Rise & Fall **

**Book 2: Birth of a Jedi **

**Chapter 5: A Single Mistake

* * *

**

A/N: Happy Thursday, everyone! Shanesnest here with the latest chapter of Book 2 of Kyle Katarn: The Rise and Fall: Birth of a Jedi. It seems everyone really got a kick out of Dark Kyle, and particularly the vision of what Kyle might become one day. It's kinda crazy juggling three voices, but I enjoy the challenge. And speaking of voices, got a few shout outs to get to!

Nerwen Aldarion: Yeah, my idea was that the Imps had been training on Nar Shadda, but the _Crow_ is just that much better, not to mention the pilot! I did the scene with Jan and the Traffic Officer in memory of Jan's valley girl act back in Book 1. As for Kyle, think about it. Suddenly imbued with power, feeling as if nothing can stop you… who wouldn't be tempted? As for the scene we worked on, I'm afraid it's not in this chapter, but will be coming in Chapter 6. I'll be hiding under my desk till then.

Tinuviel Undomiel: Back in spades! Hmmm…. Kyle with X-ray vision, yeah he'd probably do it. Oh yeah, Jan'd rearrange that guy's face something fierce in person! It was a fun scene to write. You're getting where I'm going with that, the whole idea of the future Kyle is to tempt the present Kyle into becoming that person. Your script could not have been better. Unfortunately, it won't be until Chapter 6. I'll be in hiding till then.

Tig94: Everything, huh? Thanks for such a compliment! You got it, Rahn was talking to Kyle back in Book 1, sort of like Ben Kenobi with Luke. Dark Kyle is fun to write 'cause he gets to do major damage to his enemies! I really appreciate your praise, it tells me I'm doing a good job.

Mach Farcon: I'm giving Dark Kyle a lot of screen time right now basically to build tension for a climatic scene coming in a later chapter. The idea now is to build within Kyle the temptation to become Dark Side full time. So you don't want Jan and Kyle having a fall out. Then, you might not like some of what I've done in this chapter, but I can promise you it'll get resolved.

Hitman Nx: Yeah, kinda weird, like talking to yourself except there's someone actually there. You make a good point about the combat scene as compared with the chase on Endor from Episode VI. Fast quick action, split second decisions, maybe that's what inspired me on this scene. I didn't consider that before now.

Manus Dei: For real! A veritable cloudburst of the things! You're telling me about that level! You can't relax for more than a few seconds in any one spot without getting shot at! That's an interesting thought about Revan, like the Kyle of now may just be a mask for the Kyle that will be.

A/N: Well, after reading through the latest reviews, there's no doubt I have some of the best, most insightful reviewers. Y'all make me think about scenes I've created and their context. Please keep it coming! Good advice and constructive criticism is always welcome!

And with that, let's get down to business. Last time, Dark Kyle took a great deal of pleasure ripping apart the Grans and Gamorreans. One might wonder whether the power he's feeling will consume him. So let's find out what happens next, shall we?

* * *

**Somewhere above Nar Shaddaa**

"Look," Jan said, fighting not to show her exasperation, "I'm not trying to cause problems here. All I'm doing is making a simple pickup and then I'm out of here."

"And exactly who or what are picking up, Miss Ors?"

"I already told you," Jan said, sighing, "I can't tell you that."

"Miss Ors," came the reply, "we keep going in circles here. Now, I don't know what happened between you and Traffic Officer Huzon; but the roof landing areas around Rimmer's Rest are restricted space. Only official vehicles are permitted to land there."

"And _I_ told _you_," Jan said, unable to keep the emotion out of her voice, "I'm _not_ going to land there. I'm just making a simple pickup and then I'll leave. I don't understand the problem."

Since her conversation with the Traffic Officer, Jan had guided the _Moldy Crow _towards the coordinates provided to her.

But just as she was about to enter a shaft leading to the roof of the building, a new call from Traffic Control had come in. And this guy was the no-nonsense type who wasn't easily fooled.

So, Jan had tried reasoning with him instead. But so far, it wasn't going well.

"The _problem_, Miss Ors," the Traffic Officer said, "is that the roof area of Rimmer's Rest is restricted space and off limits to civilian traffic."

"I thought you said the landing areas were restricted space, not the roof area," Jan countered.

"Miss Ors," the man replied firmly, "I am growing tired of this."

"So am I," Jan said.

"Then let us bring this to an end right now. Your request to make pickup at Rimmer's Rest is denied. Should you ship be detected in the area, you will be tracked down, arrested and your ship impounded. Is that clear?"

"I still don't see…"

"Is… that… clear, Miss Ors?" the man said strongly.

"As transparisteel," Jan said, realizing she wasn't going to win this one.

"Good," the man said, sounding a bit relieved, "Nar Shaddaa Traffic Control out."

"But it doesn't mean I'm going to comply," Jan said to herself.

For the moment, she reversed her course and drifted away from the building.

_Okay, Katarn, _she thought, _now would be a good time to let me know where you are._

As if responding to her thought, the comm system lit up.

Caught by surprise, Jan looked for a moment to make sure it really was an incoming signal.

A check of the comm system confirmed it, and on the secondary mission frequency.

Jan was about to open the channel when she remembered what happened the last time Kyle had called.

She reached for the gain switch and dialed it down, then opened the channel.

"Kyle, are you there?"

* * *

**Roof of the building above Rimmer's Rest**

Having negotiated a last set of lifts, Kyle leaned around the corner of a wall running along the roof of the building, describing two square spaces.

Ahead of him was another group of four Gran, milling about the roof.

He was more than ready to kill them all, but first he had to make sure Jan was coming.

Despite the power he felt, the battles he had fought and won here, Kyle was certain of one thing above all others.

He was ready to get the heck off of Nar Shaddaa.

Activating his locator beacon, Kyle waited, growing more impatient by the minute.

Where was Jan? Why wasn't she answering his signal?

On top of that, the impulse to go take out the Gran was becoming stronger by the second.

He felt concern; this wasn't like him; barely able to control himself.

_Something's wrong with me._

"Kyle," Jan's voice suddenly called out, "Are you there?"

Drawing back into the shadow of the wall, Kyle spoke.

"I'm here, Jan. But where are you?"

Taking the question as sarcasm, she replied.

"Very funny, Katarn. I'm close by. Give me five minutes."

"Less would be better, Jan. I've got to take out some Gran nearby. And I imagine more are on the way."

"Understood," Jan said, "I'm coming right now."

Kyle felt a smile come to his face as the channel was closed.

_It'll be good to see her, particularly after what I've been through._

**You have the power now. Nothing else matters. **

Dark.

_I don't have time to spar with you right now. I've got some targets to destroy._

_**And then what, Kyle?**_

It was the kind voice.

_Then I'm getting out of here._

_**But who will be leaving, Kyle. You or someone else?**_

"**Shut your mouth, old man. Kyle knows what's he's doing, don't you."**

"I… I think so," Kyle answered, feeling suddenly unsure.

"**You **_**think**_** so?" **mocked the other Kyle**, "you think so? I thought you wanted the power I offered."**

"I do," Kyle said, "but…"

"**There's not 'but' here, Kyle. Either you want this or you don't."**

**I told you he was weak, **said Dark**. Better he come with me than you.**

"**Don't make me laugh;" **said the other Kyle, **"I already know what **_**you **_**want. And you're never going to get it. I'll make sure of it."**

"Stop it!" Kyle cried, grabbing at his head, "shut up! All of you!"

A moment later, he realized his mistake as the Gran began to open fire.

The other Kyle chuckled in Kyle's mind.

"**Nice move, slick. Maybe I **_**was**_** wrong about you."**

And with that, Kyle's mind was quiet once more, but around him was chaos.

Blaster shots landed all around him, a thermal detonator exploded nearby, sending shrapnel slicing into his face and arms.

The pain from his wounds returned full force.

But somehow, Kyle managed to activate his communicator and cry a single word.

"Jan!"

* * *

**Cockpit of the **_**Moldy Crow **_

Jan guided the ship towards the building, ignoring the repeated calls from Traffic Control.

Suddenly, the comm panel lit up again.

Jan was in the process of reaching for it when Kyle's voice came over the speakers.

"Jan!"

She heard blaster fire and explosions as well, partially masking his voice. But there was no mistaking the tone of voice from Kyle.

She rammed the throttles to the stops.

* * *

**Roof of the building above Rimmer's Rest**

Struggling against the pain that threatened to drive him into unconsciousness, Kyle edged himself back as fast as he could, away from the incoming blaster fire.

The Gran were approaching his hiding place, the blaster fire intensifying.

So when it suddenly cut off, Kyle was both surprised and curious.

The answer came in the form of a set of screaming engines.

* * *

**Cockpit of the **_**Moldy Crow **_

The shaft Jan was flying through suddenly ended and the roof of the building appeared.

She yanked the throttles back, reoriented the _Crow_'s nose and tapped the throttles, sending the ship in a downward arc towards the roof.

She spotted a group of four beings on the roof looking up at her.

Suddenly, they began firing, but the _Crow_'s deflector shields shrugged them off easily.

Activating the laser cannon, Jan held the trigger down and swept the weapon from left to right and back again, creating a curtain of laser fire that wiped out all four attackers.

When the last one fell, Jan deactivated the cannon and brought the _Crow_ down as fast as she could.

As she descended, she noticed a huddled form on the ground nearby.

Even as the _Crow _settled onto its landing skids, she had the cockpit open and scrambled out of it.

She headed towards the form at a dead run, crying out his name.

* * *

**Roof of the building above Rimmer's Rest**

Kyle heard the staccato thrum of the _Crow_'s laser cannon followed by the cries of the Gran as they were destroyed.

It occurred to him that he should feel good about this.

Then came the sound of repulsorlifts and a wash of wind as the _Crow_ settled to the ground nearby.

A figure jumped from the cockpit and ran towards him.

As it got closer, he saw it was her.

Jan knelt next to him, her eyes roving over him.

"Hi, partner," he muttered.

"Don't talk," she said firmly, examining his injuries, "you're hurt pretty badly."

"Was a trap," he managed, "you were right."

"I said don't talk, and don't move either."

Ignoring her, Kyle reached under his shirt and pulled something out.

"But I got it, Jan. I got it."

She looked at the oddly shaped disc he held, wondering if all that had happened was over such a simple thing.

_It must be important, whatever it is._

"C'mon, partner," she said, moving him as gently as she could, "we need to get out of here."

Jan's heart hurt at every grimace and cry of pain from Kyle as he got to his feet and started for the _Crow_.

She held on as best she could without hurting him more.

Climbing into the cockpit was the worst part.

Kyle tried to steel himself, but a low scream came out as he finally managed to place himself in the forward couch.

Jan carefully, but quickly strapped him in, then headed for the rear cockpit.

"Hang on, partner," she called to him, "we're leaving. Time to get you patched up."

Kyle's response was a weak wave.

Jan hit the thrusters hard as soon as the _Crow _was aloft, blasting past the Traffic Control ships sent to arrest her.

As soon as they cleared Nar Shaddaa's gravity well, Jan punched up the hyperdrive coordinates. The computer made its calculations and pronounced the ship ready.

"Here we go," she said, and pulled back on the hyperspace lever.

Stars outside became lines and then shot past as the _Crow_ into hyperspace.

* * *

**Rebel Star Destroyer **_**Intrepid**_

**Sickbay**

**Six Hours Later**

Doctors Berth and Godwyn along with two of the nursing staff were waiting in the hangar bay when the _Moldy Crow _arrived.

Pushing a hover stretcher, they stood ready outside the ship as Jan opened the cockpit.

"How bad is he?" asked Berth.

"Bad," Jan replied.

Berth nodded, signaling the nurses to remove Kyle from the cockpit.

He was quickly taken to Sickbay.

And despite the number and gravity of his injuries, Doctor Berth's medical nano bots made short work of it all.

Some hours later, Jan received a call that Kyle was out of surgery and could have visitors.

Arriving in Sickbay, she had found him in a room by himself, asleep.

The torn and shredded shirt Kyle had worn had been cut away; exposing his chest and stomach, save for a bandage across his ribs.

Looking at him, Jan removed her flight gloves and stuffed them in a pocket.

She moved to stand by the bed and reached out a hand, brushing a lock of hair off of Kyle's forehead.

"Y'know, Katarn," she muttered, "You really know how to piss me off. I _told_ you this mission was a trap. But did you listen? No. And now look at you, laid up once again."

Kyle's body shifted a bit, the bed automatically compensating for the movement.

Jan moved her hand until it lay atop his. She linked their fingers.

"I know we're both operatives, Kyle. Danger is part of the game. But I need you to try and stay alive, okay? If anything ever happened, I…

Jan felt her face grow hot, tears brimming in her eyes.

"Just remember that I care about you, Kyle Katarn. Okay? I really do care about you."

Disengaging her hand from his, Jan placed it back down on the bed, then turned and left the room quickly.

* * *

Kyle felt fairly sure he was dreaming.

Looking around, he saw a rock-strewn landscape, mountain ridges reaching high into the sky.

He seemed to be drawn towards one of them.

Passing inside the mountain, Kyle found himself in a large, circular room.

The room was lit in a flickering, blue light.

And all around him were glowing orbs of yellow-white light. They seemed to be moving in a slow circle around the room.

Suddenly, one of the orbs expanded, changed, shifted and became a man.

But not really a man.

The figure was a bit taller than Kyle and wore a set of white robes. A corona of blue-white light seemed to cling to the figure, like an energy field.

As Kyle silently watched, a pair of weathered brown hands came out from the sleeves of the robe and reached for the hood.

When it was pulled back, Kyle saw a face he did not recognize.

A bald head lead down to a wizened face wrinkled in spots, with a wide nose and full-lipped mouth. A neatly trimmed goatee covered the man's chin.

And somehow, the dark skinned man seemed to know him.

"Hello, Kyle."

"Umm, hi… Mister…?"

"You may call me Rahn."

"All right then, Rahn."

"Kyle, there is much I have to tell you. But there is one matter of extreme importance."

Kyle nodded, feeling unsure.

"Long ago, I was a Jedi Knight in the service of the Republic. After its fall and the Empire's rise, I found myself on an Outer Rim world called Rentran. There is a boy there I met and grew to know well named Geiji."

Kyle nodded.

"Because I am now dead, I can pass on only a few more things to this young man. When all else is done, would you go and tell him of my death?"

"Me?"

"As I trusted your father, so I trust you."

Thought the statement made Kyle immediately want to ask his father and his relationship with this Rahn, he had a feeling that the matter being discussed was more important.

"Are you sure?"

Rahn nodded.

"Geiji was the closest thing I had to a student in many, many years. I cared for the boy as if he was my own. He deserves to know what happened to me."

"What _did_ happen to you?"

"We shall come to that in time, Kyle. But first…"

The man looked expectantly at him.

Though the request didn't make much sense to him, Kyle got the impression that this was something very important to the man.

"I'm not sure I completely understand, Rahn. But as soon as I can, I will do my best to find this 'Geiji' and tell him about you."

The old Jedi nodded.

"Thank you, Kyle."

The younger man nodded.

"I'd like to ask you about my father."

Rahn looked a bit concerned.

First, there is something I must tell you."

"My time on this plane is limited, Kyle. But I will do what I can for you."

He smiled at the older man.

"Then please continue."

Rahn gave him a quick smile in return.

"Your destiny is quickly approaching a crossroads, a moment of irrecoverable change. The man who murdered your father, Jerec, is a deep and dark evil. He searches for this sacred place you see before you now, the Valley of the Jedi. In this place are stored the collected energies and memories of thousands upon thousands of Jedi.

"If Jerec finds this place and claims it, he shall become a creature such as the galaxy has never seen. A collection of stars all going supernova at the same time, the eradication of life in an entire star system, these things and more will be within his power."

Rahn paused to let his words sink in, and then continued.

"Your father gave his life to protect this place and the power it holds within long before he became part of the Rebellion against the Empire. And now, it is a place your destiny must take you. The disc you 'retrieved' from 8t88 is a fountain of information and will be your gateway to the ways of the Jedi."

"Remember," Rahn said gravely, "it will provide a pathway for you into the ways of the Force."

"Wait a minute," Kyle said, "I know you now. You're the one from before, the one who was always kind."

Rahn inclined his head.

"Should I call you Master?"

"A title long since past and one that makes little in the events to come."

"What about my father? How did you..?"

"Another story for another time, my friend. The disc you have shall provide _some_. And I will be watching… and waiting."

With that, the light around Kyle seemed to intensify to the point that he had to shade his eyes.

"Wait! Rahn! Please!"

With a whooshing sound, the glowing room disappeared.

* * *

"….hear me? Kyle! It's Doctor Berth! Can you hear me!"

His eyes opened, taking in the face of the doctor looking down at him with a concerned expression.

Kyle blinked, his eyes adjusting to the light.

"Kyle?"

"Hi, doc."

"Whew," Berth breathed, "you had me worried there for a second."

"What do you mean?"

"You tell me," Berth replied, "you started shouting all of a sudden."

"I did?"

The doctor nodded.

"Scared me half to death. You sure you're all right?"

Kyle shrugged.

"You're the doctor, you tell me."

"Don't be a smartass."

Kyle smiled.

"I think I was dreaming something."

"Must have been one wild dream," Berth replied.

"Yeah," Kyle said, "I think it was."

"You wanna talk about it?"

Kyle thought for a moment, and then nodded.

"But I'd like Mon Mothma here to hear it as well."

"Sure," Berth said, "I'll see when she's available."

"And doc?"

"Yes?"

"Can you make sure it's just her?"

Berth raised an eyebrow.

Kyle waved his hand at the man.

"I'm _going_ to tell Jan, okay? But I want to run this past Mon Mothma first."

"You'd better not forget," Berth said, "the last thing I need is her tearing up my Sickbay because you've upset her again."

Kyle sighed.

"I'll take care of it. I promise."

The doctor nodded at this.

"One other thing," he said, pointing "when are you going to shave that?"

It took Kyle a moment to realize the doctor was referring to his beard, which had grown thicker and fuller with each passing day.

Kyle smirked at him.

"Never," he said, "that's when. I like it."

"It makes you look old."

"Says you," Kyle countered, brushing his hand across it, "I think it makes me look… distinguished."

Berth busted out laughing.

"You… you've gotta be kidding!"

The doctor took a moment to get his breath back.

"You… distinguished? Not too likely."

"Says you," Kyle replied.

Shaking his head and still laughing, Berth turned and headed for his office to make the call to Mon Mothma.

* * *

**Rebel Star Destroyer **_**Intrepid**_

**Sickbay**

**One Hour Later**

The door to the room and in stepped the Rebel leader.

"Mon Mothma," Kyle greeted, sitting a bit more upright in bed, "thanks for coming. Sorry I can't…"

She held up a hand.

"Protocol can wait, Kyle. Besides, I find myself getting used to having conversations with you this way."

"Ouch!" Kyle said, miming as if he had been struck.

"Besides," Mon Mothma added, "Doctor Berth's message lead me to believe there was some urgency to the matter."

"Well, I don't know about urgency, but things don't exactly feel normal to me right now," Kyle said.

Taking a chair, Mon Mothma moved close to the bed.

"Let's begin with your mission, then."

Kyle nodded and began speaking.

Forty minutes passed.

"And once Jan helped me into the cockpit, we headed out."

The Rebel Leader shook her head.

"I sometimes wonder exactly why I listen to you, Kyle. It seems that every mission you go on ends up with you injured."

He nodded.

"In this case, I _should_ have listened to Jan. Hindsight is always 20-20, you know."

"Indeed."

"There's more I need to tell you, perhaps the most important and weirdest part.

Mon Mothma lifted an eyebrow.

"Oh? Then go on."

Kyle explained the vision/dream he had had, the vision of Rahn, the words exchanged.

"The next thing I knew, I woke up here."

The Rebel Leader's face was etched in concentration as she contemplated Kyle's story.

"So, what do you think?"

"I'm not sure," Mon Mothma admitted, "so many Jedi were lost in great purge. I know Obi-Wan Kenobi escaped along with some others. And there were many rumors of Jedi fleeing to distant worlds all over the galaxy. But until recently, with Luke and the Academy he wants to form, most people felt the Jedi were more or less extinct."

"Rahn _did _say he went to an Outer Rim world named Rentran."

"It _is _possible," Mon Mothma mused.

"I'd like to do some investigating into it," Kyle ventured.

"What _kind_ of investigating?" Mon Mothma said quickly, instantly suspicious of Kyle's motives.

"Nothing unnecessary this time," he replied just as quickly, "I was hoping I could ask Zetton Wineglass to do some searching for me."

Mon Mothma searched her memory.

"Ah, the officer in charge of Data and Communication Retrieval."

Kyle nodded.

"The guy's a certified archivist. I imagine he'll be able to find something on the Valley and on Rahn."

"That's not all, is there?" Mon Mothma asked, eyeing him.

Kyle smiled like a child caught with his hand in the cookie jar.

"No," he admitted, "there is something else I'd like to do."

"And that is?"

"With your permission, I'd like to take that disc I got from 8t88 and head to Sulon."

"Your home planet," Mon Mothma said, "but why?"

"8t88 mentioned he got the disc from there. And if I'm right, it's one of the storage discs Wee-Gee will be able to read."

"Wee-Gee?" Mon Mothma asked.

"Oh, sorry. Wee-Gee is a droid my father built back when I was still a kid."

"I see," Mon Mothma said.

"Wee Gee was kind of an all around droid. He helped my Father in his work, maintained most of the house's systems and… after my Mom died; Wee-Gee became my official bodyguard."

"Are you certain he's still there?"

Kyle shrugged.

"No reason that he shouldn't be. Even with Father gone, Wee-Gee should still be taking care of the house. He can be a quirky droid, but he was always loyal."

Mon Mothma considered this.

"What I want to do is find Wee-Gee and see if he can read the disc."

"Perhaps…" Mon Mothma began.

"And besides," Kyle added, "I imagine the last place I'll find any trouble will be on Sulon."

The Rebel Leader gave him a disbelieving look, and then softened.

"I'm going to see if we have any reports of Imperial activity in that system first," she said, "Assuming for the moment that there is none, you can go."

Kyle smiled at her.

"There is one other condition."

"And that is?"

"When are you going to tell Jan?"

"As soon as I get out of here," Kyle promised.

"Be certain you do, Kyle. This is a big ship, but I'd just as soon not have Jan doing damage to it should you disappear without a word again."

He blew out a breath.

"I'll tell her right now if you want."

"No, no," Mon Mothma said, rising from her chair, a smile on her face,"but make sure you _do_ tell her."

_Anything else, Mom?_

Kyle thought this, but restrained himself from saying it.

He lay back down in the bed, feeling suddenly tired.

_I need to get some rest. The sooner I'm okay, the sooner I can find out what's on that disc._

His eyes drifted closed.

* * *

**Rebel Star Destroyer **_**Intrepid**_

**Quarters of Kyle Katarn**

**The Next Day**

He was almost finished packing when he heard the sound of knuckles rapping against the door.

"Come in, Jan."

The door slid open to reveal her slim form.

"How did you know it was me?" she asked, stepping inside.

"You're the only one who knocks," he said.

"Well, I hate to disappoint you, Kyle. But that blessed ship of yours is going to be laid up in repairs for at least two more days."

Despite Jan's superior piloting skills, the flying and combat over Nar Shaddaa _had_ done some damage to the _Crow_.

"Why is it whenever the ship's damaged it suddenly becomes mine?" Kyle asked, sarcasm in his tone, "Besides, I seem to recall that someone else was flying the _Crow _recently."

"Don't blame me for having to deal with inferior equipment," Jan said, walking over to where he was.

Kyle blew out a breath.

"So how bad is it?" he asked.

"Nothin' a crateload of money _you_ don't have wouldn't fix," she teased.

It was then she noticed the serious expression on his face.

"Hey," she said, coming over and touching his arm, "it's going to be okay. Besides, I know a very qualified mechanic who can put you on the installment plan."

Kyle chuckled, and then turned to look at her.

"Once again, I owe you."

"Oh please," she said, playfully swatting at him, "you know I'm not like that, Kyle. I wouldn't be doing the work if I didn't want to. Besides, Wexter is going gaga over getting the chance to lay his hands on the _Crow_ once again."

Kyle smiled at the thought of the man, an old friend of Jan's with an almost obsessive passion when it came to the _Moldy Crow_.

Jan noticed the large bag sitting on table.

"Kyle?" she said, pointing at it, "what this?"

He looked down at the floor for a second, then back up at her.

She was glaring at him.

He quickly put both his hands up.

"Hold on a second, Jan."

"Explanation, Katarn," she said firmly, "right now."

"I was planning on telling you."

"And when exactly was that? _After_ you left?"

He could feel her rising anger.

"Look," he said simply, "I _do_ want to talk. But not here."

Seeing his face, Jan backed off a bit.

"Then where?" she asked.

"C'mon," he said, turning towards the door, "I'll show you."

* * *

**Rebel Star Destroyer **_**Intrepid**_

**Maintenance Hatch #14**

**Ten Minutes Later**

Jan's eyes widened at the sight before her.

A huge circular airlock door stretching at least six feet overhead guarded this area of the ship from the cold, airless space outside.

But what caused her to suddenly suck in her breath was the large transparisteel window built into the door.

"I had no idea this was here."

"I found it last month," Kyle said, smiling at her reaction, "this is one of the hatches used when the ship docks with another vessel or orbital station. Except for those times, it's more or less forgotten."

Jan moved to stand next to Kyle and the watched the ever changing field of stars outside.

After about five minutes had passed, she turned her head.

"I'm glad you brought me here, Kyle, but you need to tell me what's going on. Why is it you look ready to go somewhere?"

He lowered himself until he sat on the lip of the hatch, indicating Jan should join him, which she did.

"Here goes," he said, and told of her of the vision/dream he had had in Sickbay.

Jan listened raptly as he explained what Rahn had said and what he was planning to do.

"Although," he said, towards the end;"with the _Crow_ out of commission, I'll need to find some alternate transportation."

"Are you sure this Rahn knew your father?" Jan asked.

He shrugged.

"Father never mentioned him to me."

"So how are you so sure?"

"Because," Kyle replied, "Rahn knew… things."

She gave him a skeptical look.

"What… things?"

"My father's involvement with the Rebellion."

"That's hardly news, Kyle," she countered.

"True, but before now, not many people knew about it."

"True," she admitted, "but that's hardly convincing."

"He knew about the disc."

"Again," she said, "not terribly convincing."

Kyle sighed.

He had known persuading Jan that Rahn was real wouldn't be easy.

_I've got nothing else. Might as well tell her._

"Jan," he said, gazing directly into her face, "do you remember how I told you about a 'voice' I heard sometimes."

She nodded.

"Do you remember what I told you about it?"

"That it always helped you. And that it was kind."

"That voice was Rahn," he said.

Jan stared at him, not saying anything.

"Rahn has been helping me for a long time, practically since I started working for the Rebellion."

"You're serious," she said.

"Yes I am," he said firmly.

Jan eyes searched him for a moment.

"I'm not sure whether to believe you or have you sedated and put through a psych eval."

"I know what I'm saying is incredible, Jan. When I first started hearing the voice, I thought I might be going nuts."

"And now?"

"Well," he said with a quick grin, "now I _know_ I'm nuts."

He smiled at her.

Then the serious expression was back.

"But I also know that Rahn is real. And I believe what he told me."

Kyle could see Jan was trying to process this, and having difficulty with it.

"I'm probably nuts for asking this," she said, "but you don't suppose _I_ could meet him?"

Kyle shrugged.

"I don't know. Maybe."

"What you mean maybe?"

"He's not a genie, Jan. It's not like I can summon him at will."

Staring into his face, Jan realized she pushed a bit too far.

"I'm sorry," she said sincerely, reaching out to take his hands in hers, "I didn't mean to make fun. It's just this… this is so hard to believe."

"I _know_," Kyle replied, giving her a reassuring squeeze.

"Have you told anyone else about this?"

"Just Mon Mothma."

Jan nodded.

"So what are you planning to do about this…Rahn?"

"I've asked Mon Mothma to let me take the disc. I'm planning on going back to my father's home on Sulon."

"Why?"

"I'm pretty sure that disc is one of the storage discs we used to keep around the house and that Wee-Gee can read it."

"Who's Wee-Gee?" Jan asked.

"A specialty droid my father built a long time ago. He was my bodyguard and playmate, as well as helper to my father when he was tending the farm."

"Are you sure the droid is still there?"

Kyle shrugged.

"I _think_ so. With Father gone, it's pretty likely Wee-Gee would have kept taking care of the house."

Jan raised an eyebrow at this.

"Wee-Gee is kind of an oddball droid, "Kyle admitted, "He was always bustling about the house, checking and rechecking things."

Jan was tempted to ask what Kyle would do if the droid was gone or destroyed, but decided not to.

"Assuming you're right," she said, "what then?"

"I play the disc and see what's on it. And then…"

"And then?" Jan prompted.

"We'll see," Kyle concluded half heartily.

Jan sighed and shook her head.

"Could you be a little more vague?" she asked.

He shrugged again.

Jan finally had to smile.

Kyle's seeming inability to plan ahead was one of the things she found endearing about him.

"All right, Katarn," she said, "but just one thing."

He looked at her expectantly.

"You know I'm coming with you."

He smiled at her.

"I hoped you might. I just didn't feel right asking you… what with the vision and all… I…

"Katarn?"

"Yes, Jan?"

"Shut up."

"Yes, Jan."

More words were exchanged between the two and after a time, they parted, but not without a promise to meet with Mon Mothma the next day to discuss the plan.

* * *

**Rebel Star Destroyer **_**Intrepid**_

**Mon Mothma's Briefing Room**

**The Next Day**

"What do you mean I can't go?" Jan protested.

"The matter is quite simple, Jan," Mon Mothma said, sitting across from the two operatives, "your presence is needed elsewhere."

"And may I ask for what?"

"Rebel Intelligence has recently become concerned about the loss of signals from a number of listening outposts in the Drovan system.

"Drovan?" Jan asked, "I've never heard of it."

Mon Mothma nodded.

"Most people haven't. It's a small system with no habitable planets."

"So why does the Rebellion have listening posts there?" Kyle asked.

"Because Drovan happens to be near a major traffic lane used the Empire, "replied Mon Mothma.

The two operatives nodded, understanding.

"So what's happened?" Jan asked.

"We're not completely sure," Mon Mothma said, "Chiefs Aldarion and Undomiel came to me a few days ago after they have received no response from the outposts for three weekly check ins."

"What about natural phenomena?"

Mon Mothma shook her head.

"Drovan's primary star is a K type with no sunspot activity. The system has shown itself to be relatively quiet. And until recently, there have not been any issues communicating with the outposts."

The two operatives shared a concerned look.

"So what's the plan?" Kyle asked.

"A squad of troops has been assembled and a Lambda-class shuttle has been secured for the mission."

"So where do I fit into this?" Jan asked.

Mon Mothma turned to her.

"We'd like you to lead the mission."

A long silence.

Jan's mouth hung open in surprise.

Next to her, Kyle's was similarly surprised, but then a smile appeared on his face.

"Congratulations, Jan," he offered.

"You… you want me… in command?" she finally managed to say.

"Indeed," Mon Mothma said.

"What's wrong?" Kyle asked his partner.

"Nothing," Jan said, "I just…I figured I'd be part of the mission. But to be in command…"

"You were the logical choice, Jan," the Rebel leader said.

"I… thank you, Mon Mothma. I'm grateful. But… why me?"

"As I said, Jan, you were the logical choice."

"I guess I'm just a bit taken aback."

"Jan," Mon Mothma said, "You and Kyle are two of my best operatives. You've both survived missions that, truthfully, you had almost no right to. You, specifically, have demonstrated the ability to quickly size up a situation and determine the best course of action."

"Which is why you want her in command of this mission," Kyle added.

"Exactly."

Jan still looked stunned.

_Come on, Ors!_ She said to herself, _get a hold of yourself! Wake up!_

The stunned expression on Jan's face faded.

With a quick shake of her head, she faced Mon Mothma.

"What exactly _is_ my mission?"

"There are three outposts we'd like you to check out, determine the situation and take whatever steps you deem necessary. As soon as you've determined the status of the outposts, you'll radio in on a special, coded and scrambled frequency."

Jan seemed to contemplate this.

"And If I find any problems?"

"Take whatever actions are needed to preserve the outposts and their crews."

Jan nodded.

"Your decision then?" Mon Mothma asked.

Without hesitation, the operative answered.

"I'll do it."

Kyle smiled widely at her and Mon Mothma nodded.

"Good, there will be an operational meeting between you, Aldarion and Undomiel at 1600 hours, ships time."

A nod.

"And Jan?"

"Yes?"

"From this moment until this mission is completed, you will be commissioned as an Alliance Commander, with all the requisite privileges and obligations."

Mon Mothma stood and offered her hand.

"Congratulations."

Jan stood quickly and took the other woman's hand. They smiled at each other.

"Thank you, Mon Mothma."

Next to her, Kyle was positively beaming.

"Nice job, partner."

"Thank you," Jan said to him.

Resuming her seat, the Rebel leader shifted her eyes.

"Now to another matter. Kyle, what is your status as far as leaving for Sulon?"

He shrugged.

"On hold right now. With the _Crow _in the 'shop', I'll need to try and find another ship."

An idea flashed inside Jan's head.

"Mon Mothma?"

"Yes, Jan?"

"Regarding my mission, do we have a launch date?"

"As the mission commander, that is more or less up to you, Jan."

The operative nodded.

"In that case, may I have permission to use a shuttle to take Kyle to Sulon?"

A small smile appeared on Mon Mothma's face.

She knew exactly what the motive was behind the request.

"I don't see where that would be a problem. But, it will need to be a quick trip."

"Don't worry, Mon Mothma," Kyle interjected, "I'll make sure Jan comes back."

The Rebel leader's eyebrow rose in comment to the attempt at levity.

In contrast, Jan's glare at him was instant and fierce.

He stared back at her with a confused expression.

"Well then," Mon Mothma said, "if there is nothing else, I shall leave you both to your respective preparations. Dismissed."

Standing up, Jan, with Kyle a few paces behind her, left the briefing room.

They weren't ten steps outside when she whirled on him.

Her hand shot out, whacking him on the arm.

"Ow!"

"What was that crack about, Katarn?"

"Huh? What do you mean?"

"'I'll make sure Jan comes back'?"

"That? I was just kidding Jan. I didn't…"

He tried to smile, but it wilted under the force of her glare.

"Didn't what, Katarn? Didn't mean to embarrass me in front of a superior officer? Or what is that you have no confidence in my ability to follow orders?

"No," he said firmly, "it's nothing like that. I wasn't trying to… I mean, I was just trying to…

"Let me ask you something, Katarn. Have you ever seen Mon Mothma express a lack of confidence in me?"

"No," he replied, "I just…"

"Or my work?"

"Never. Jan, look, I…"

"Just in case you don't know, Katarn, I was working for Mon Mothma a long time before you showed up. And at no time did I ever disobey my orders or shirk my duty."

"I didn't say…"

"I've done everything asked of me and then some! How dare you put that into question! Just who do you think you are?"

"Well, if you let me explain…"

"Explain what? How do you explain a statement like that, Katarn? Between us, I might not have cared, but in front of Mothma, what in space were you thinking?

_What I think, _Kyle thought, _is that I made a mistake._

"Y'know," she said, still winding up, "I never would have said such a thing like that about you in front of a superior officer. Like this 'ghost' you claim you saw."

Now Kyle began to bristle.

He was willing to admit his attempt at a joke may have been poorly timed, but Jan was taking it too far.

"I listened patiently while you told me that story, even though I found it a bit hard to believe. But did I make a joke about it? Mention it in front of Mon Mothma? No!"

_Okay Jan, this is getting kinda ridiculous. You've made your point._

"And where do you get off telling some stupid joke like that and expect everyone to laugh? Did you stop to think that maybe I wouldn't think it was funny?"

Kyle hesitated, and then shook his head.

"I didn't think so. I sometimes really wonder what goes through your mind, Katarn."

Now he was angry.

"Me?" he countered, "what about you? I make one little off hand joke and you're turning it into a big mess. You're practically putting words in my mouth!"

"Words in your mouth? I'm not the one who suggested to Mon Mothma that I couldn't be trusted to follow orders!"

"I never said that!"

"Then why the crack? Why did you do that, Kyle? Are you _that_ callous that you'd say something like that, knowing that I wouldn't like it?"

He threw up his hands, exasperated.

"Fine! Y'know what, Ors? Think whatever you want! But I'm not going to stand here and take any more of your abuse."

He moved to step past her, but Jan blocked his way.

"What's the matter?" she said, smiling darkly at him, "did I hit a little too close to home? Maybe you'll think about that the next time you want to make some stupid joke about me."

Kyle's hand clenched into fists.

"Or maybe next time I can make some little joke "she continued, "Maybe about my partner hears 'voices' or sees mythical Jedi while he's asleep. I'm sure someone would find _that_ funny."

His face flushed crimson; Kyle reached out with his left hand and pushed Jan aside roughly.

She gave a squawk of surprise as her back hit the wall.

It didn't hurt, but the realization of what happened hit her like a thunderclap.

She turned to see Kyle walking away quickly.

"Real nice, Katarn!" she called after him, "go ahead and run away like a coward! But tell me one last thing. You always treat women like this? Or just me?"

The instant the last syllable left her mouth, Jan clapped a hand over it, her eyes going wide.

_Oh, blast! Tell me I did not just say that!_

Kyle paused in mid step, his head turning to look back at her.

His expression was like a knife in her heart, tears were brimming in his eyes.

_Oh no! No! No! Kyle! I'm sorry! Please! I didn't mean it! I'm sorry!_

But none of these words came out of her mouth.

The two of them stared at each other for a long moment, and then Kyle resumed his path down the corridor, turning at the next intersection and disappearing from sight.

_Oh Sithspit! _Jan thought. _What have I done? _

A part of Jan's mind urged her to go after him, to call to him, to tell him how she felt right away.

But her feet didn't move.

_Please, Kyle. Come back! Let me tell you!_

But he didn't come back.

She stood there a long time, the scene replaying over and over again in her mind.

She saw the change in his face, the flush creeping up from his neck until his entire face was crimson.

Sudden tears came to her eyes.

_No! I can't do this here!_

It took a strong effort, but Jan eventually made it back to her quarters, where she was finally able to surrender to her emotions.

* * *

A/N: Oh boy! Things are not so rosy between those two! Harsh words have had unexpected consequences. And now two close friends are at odds. Will they resolve it? How? When? Will Shanesnest realize he must resolve in order not to tick off two of his biggest supporters? These questions and more will be answered in Chapter 6, coming soon!

Until then!


	6. Chapter 6: The Wisdom of Others

**Kyle Katarn: The Rise & Fall **

**Book 2: Birth of a Jedi**

**Chapter 6: The Wisdom of Others

* * *

**

A/N: Surprise! Didn't expect to see this soon, did you? Well, at the request of two of my reviewers who were instrumental in helping me write the majority of this chapter's content, I have decided to post it early. The only consequence is, I probably won't post again until next Thursday as I'll need more time to create Chapter 7.

But then again, who knows with me? On to the shout outs then!

Nerwen Aldarion: Writing it wasn't the easiest; I kept going overboard on the meanness, then backing up and trying again. I kept reminding myself, I don't want to make these two enemies! You got the quintessential point of the chapter, how a supposedly innocent comment can do a lot of damage. I really liked the scene with Jan in the sickbay with Kyle. It's a time where she can "lower her shields" and be vulnerable. And yes, Kyle and Dr. Berth are comedy gold! My idea with the voices is to have Kyle struggling behind the lure of the Dark Side and the promise of the Light. When will Jan learn about the Jedi thing? Probably not for a while, but I'll think about it. Hmmm, her making him a cake? SCARY!!

Tinuviel Undomiel: Just like your sister, so perceptive! You got the point I was trying to make with the title, how one unfortunate turn of phrase can do major damage. Well, I think it's more like you've got two alpha types, both afraid of being hurt and being vulnerable. Oh yeah, there's no doubt she cares, if only they can both learn to say it to each other. I'll consider if I can make it so Jan meets Rahn, it might be possible. As for Morgan Katarn, I know in William Dietz's books that Jerec talked about him as being afraid of his Force powers, for fear of misusing them. Maybe that's why he was never trained.

Tig94: Yes they do! But then they get to make up, so it all works out in the end. As for Kyle as a Jedi, a scene is coming that will take a large step towards that.

Manus Dei: You're telling me! Sharp enough to cut metal! Hmmm, now that would be funny if they did crash while arguing. It'd probably start another argument over who was supposed to be piloting the ship!

All rightie then! After the events of last chapter, Jan and Kyle's relationship has hit another rock in the road. And now, both are wounded. Can the breach be healed? Read on and find out!

* * *

**Rebel Star Destroyer **_**Intrepid**_

**Main Gymnasium**

**Three Hours Later**

Back and leg muscles screaming, Kyle squatted down until his thighs were perpendicular to the floor, then pushed up, lifting the weight balanced across his shoulders.

Sweat poured off him in a near constant flow, the gray sleeveless shirt and shorts he wore practically soaked through, evidence of the extreme workout he was putting himself through.

_It was just a joke! I didn't mean one thing by it!_

He did another rep.

_Why did she have to go and blow up like that?_

Another rep.

_And then, to call me a coward! Me!_

He tried to do one more rep, but the quadriceps muscles in his legs had already been vibrating with tension and now signaled to his brain that they were near collapse.

Taking a step forward, he bent his head forward and levered the barbell onto the metal rack with a loud clanking sound.

He stood there a moment, letting his tortured legs recover a bit.

His hand moved automatically to reset the weight setting on the bar.

He noticed only briefly that that the indicator was reading 350 pounds.

Then, slipping out from under the rack used for squats, he turned and moved to the bench press.

Setting the bar there for 250 pounds, Kyle slid underneath it and wrapped his hands around the metal surface.

If not for the neoprene gloves he wore, the bar would have proved too slick to hold.

Taking a few quick breaths, Kyle lifted the weight, his exhalation timed with the exertion.

He lowered the weight until the bar hovered only a few inches above his chest, then pushed it upwards again.

Twelve times he repeated the motion, finally setting the bar back on the raised metal clasps it normally sat on.

Sitting up, Kyle reached for the weight setting and raised it to 280.

Sliding back under the bar, he gripped the bar.

_Who the heck do you think you are, Jan Ors!_

He lifted the bar.

Faintly, the sound of the door to the gym sliding open reached his ears.

A figure stepped inside, noticing Kyle and moving towards him.

The operative lifted the bar for six more reps.

But as he went for the seventh, a tremor arose in both his arms, the overexerted muscles rebelling against the torturous treatment they were undergoing.

_C'mon,_ Kyle thought, willing his arms to work, _just a bit more. C'mon._

But his body rejected the plea.

The bar came down lower and lower till Kyle began to sweat even more, this time from fear.

The weight he was holding wasn't exactly dangerous, but if he couldn't raise it back up, it was enough to do damage to his chest.

He tried to turn the bar to one side and slide it off of him, but again his arms refused to comply.

"Need some help there?"

A face appeared, looking down at him.

Two hands reached down, encircling the bar next to Kyle's own hands.

"Okay," the figure said, "here we go… 1… 2… 3!"

Acting in concert, the two lifted the weight away from Kyle's chest and placed it back on the holding clamps.

Kyle sat up, his breath coming fast and hard.

"Th… Tha…. Thanks," he managed to say through trembling lips.

"No problem," said the other, "but you really oughta have a spotter for these heavy lifts."

Kyle nodded, silently accepting the criticism.

_Wasn't exactly on my mind when I walked in here._

"Are you okay?" the woman asked, concern in his voice.

Again, Kyle nodded.

The figure stepped away and returned a moment later carrying a cup.

"Here," he said, holding it out, "Drink this… slowly."

Kyle accepted the cup with one trembling hand, and then steadied it with his other.

Slowly, he brought the cup to his lips and sipped at the contents.

The cold water brought relief to his parched throat.

Kyle could almost swear he could feel the liquid tracing its way down his spine.

Several minutes passed before his ragged breathing assumed a more normal pace.

Looking up from the floor, he saw the figure of the other person in the room with him.

At least four inches taller than himself; the woman was sort of what one would call plain looking.

Simple, straight yellow-brown hair formed a crown across the top of her head and down the sides of her face.

Pale blue eyes looked out from an unlined face with a modest nose and thin mouth.

But as the woman shifted his feet a little, Kyle saw it.

While the woman was not so muscular that her body bulged out like a weightlifter's,s he _was_ in shape.

Kyle could see the long, ropy muscles just under the skin of the arms and legs.

Like him, this woman was clad in workout clothes, the shirt she wore emblazoned with the crest of the Alliance.

Continuing to sip the water, Kyle found his voice again.

"Whew! Thanks for the help. I was really in trouble there."

The woman shrugged.

"No problem."

"I'd offer my hand," Kyle said, managing a small smile, "but I don't think it'd cooperate right now. I'm…"

The woman smiled back.

"… Kyle Katarn," he finished, "and don't worry about it.

She pointed to herself.

"Zetton Wineglass."

"You know me?"

"The whole ship knows you, sir, "Wineglass replied, "You _are_ famous, after all."

Kyle chuckled at that.

"Famous. Can't quite decide if I like that or not."

"Sir?"

"And drop the 'sir' too, Wineglass. I resigned my commission a long time ago. It's Kyle."

"Oh, okay si… I mean, Kyle."

It was then the woman's name registered in Kyle's mind.

"Wait a minute, I remember you now."

Wineglass looked backed at him, saying nothing.

"Believe it or not, "Kyle said, "I was planning on coming to see you."

"Oh?" Wineglass said.

"You _are_ the ship's chief archivist, if memory serves."

Wineglass shrugged.

"It's only one part of my duties. Mostly, I work on storing and organizing data."

"That's the reason I was going to be looking for you."

"Why's that, si… Kyle?"

About to open his mouth, a memory flashed across his mind.

"Or maybe next time I can make some little joke," came Jan's voice, "Maybe about my partner heard 'voices' or sees mythical Jedi while he's asleep."

He clenched a fist.

_Blast you, Jan. Why'd you say that?_

"Kyle?"

His mind returned to the present, seeing Wineglass looking at him with a confused expression.

He decided he wasn't ready to tell the archivist everything just yet.

"Sorry, just thinking about something… unpleasant. But never mind that. I wanted to see you to ask about a Jedi I've recently heard about."

"Jedi? Wineglass echoed.

Kyle nodded.

"The name is Qu Rahn. I was curious to find out whatever information is available about him."

Wineglass looked thoughtful.

"Information on Jedi is pretty scarce. The Empire destroyed a lot of the old records when they held Imperial Cen… I mean, Coruscant."

"It's not a big deal," Kyle said, "I was just curious about it."

"I can definitely check into it," Wineglass said, "was there any other information you had on this Rahn?"

Kyle considered briefly before answering.

"My data indicates he may have had a connection with my father, Morgan Katarn."

Wineglass's eyes widened.

"Your father?"

Kyle nodded.

"Did you ever meet this Jedi?"

"No. I… think… he met my father after I had left home to go to the Imperial Academy."

Wineglass nodded, taking this in.

"Your homeworld was Sulon, wasn't it?"

Kyle nodded again.

"When I get back to my office, I'll see what I can dig up. But it might be a while."

"Take as much time as you need."

Wineglass nodded, and then shifted topics.

"How do you feel now?"

"Better", Kyle admitted, experimentally moving his limbs.

Everything seemed to be working once again, the brief rest having allowed the muscles to recover.

"Well, I don't know how tired you are, Kyle. But I was about to begin my workout, if you'd like to join in."

For a moment, Kyle considered refusing.

It occurred to him just how hard he had pushed his body over the last three hours.

_I'm lucky I didn't kill myself._

But then, the memory of the confrontation between him and Jan flashed across his mind again.

_I need something to distract me for a while longer._

He looked up at Wineglass.

"Well, I'm not sure how much I have left. But if you're willing to put up with that, I'd like to."

Wineglass smiled widely at him.

"Sure, let's go."

The workout began with a run around the small track laid out in the room to warm up their bodies, followed by stretching.

And then, back to the weights.

However, this time, Kyle was careful not to force himself to lift beyond his capacity.

His muscles still burned with exertion, but this time, it felt good.

When the last rep had been done, the pair men sat on opposite benches, catching their breath.

"That…" said Wineglass, "was fun."

Though his mind was still plagued with memories of Jan, Kyle nodded.

"Yes," he breathed, "yes it was."

"Well," said Wineglass, standing up, "I'm going to head back to my quarters and change. I'm on duty in another hour."

"Okay," Kyle said, "thanks once more for the help."

"Anytime," Wineglass said, "and I'll let you know as soon as I can regarding this Rahn."

"Sure," said Kyle, "appreciate it."

And with a wave, the woman left the room.

Kyle sat there a while longer, stuck between the pleasure of making a new acquaintance and the discomfort of dealing with the fight between him and Jan.

_I am so mad at her right now! Even with all that exercise… I'm still mad!_

He realized he needed to talk to someone.

Someone he could trust, someone he could talk about this with and hash it out.

Wexter's face came to mind, but Kyle was hesitant.

The old man was a trustworthy sort, but he had also been Jan's friend a long time which would make him anything but objective.

And then it came to him.

Standing up, Kyle wiped sweat from his brow and headed for the room's exit.

He needed a shower and a change of clothes before he sought out this person.

And as he headed to his room, he nodded to himself.

Of all the people aboard the _Intrepid,_ this man was the perfect choice.

* * *

**Rebel Star Destroyer **_**Intrepid**_

**Intelligence Briefing Room**

**1630 Hours**

She looked over the map of the Drovan System. And while her eyes took in the layout of the Rebel outposts laid out on it, her mind was only half-concentrating on the present event.

_Why? Why did I have to go and say that to him? Why could I have just kept my big mouth shut?_

She remembered his face, the hurt look on it.

And then, just as quickly, she remembered the underlying cause.

_If he hadn't made that stupid crack! It really wasn't fair of him. And it made me so mad!_

Also in the room, standing on the opposite of the plotting table from Jan, were what some called the Rebellion's Twin Eyes.

Though both of them were young, no one who knew about their accomplishments had the slightest doubt in the abilities of the two.

Mon Mothma in particular had seen their potential some time ago and had offered them a billet in Intelligence.

Lieutenants Tinuviel Undomiel and Nerwen Aldarion, co-heads of Rebel Intelligence, whose minds, hands, and mouths worked in such concert with each other that they seemed at times, a single being rather than two separate entities.

They were both modest in height, around five foot six or so with lean, compact bodies.

But it was their faces that drew you in, seeming to be alive and active at all times.

Two pair of bright green eyes shined like four small jewels, which made them all the more noticeable.

In fact, the only way anyone was able to tell them apart was Nerwen wore her hair long and straight down her back whereas Tinuviel preferred shorter hair, although she did occasionally grow it out.

It was at those times that even Mon Mothma, who had known them longer than anyone, was unable to tell them apart.

Today, there were supposed to be working on a plan to check out three Rebel outposts that hadn't been heard from in several.

However, at this moment, the two were distracted.

Since the meeting with Jan had begun, both had sensed something was wrong.

Nerwen had just asked a question about where to begin on investigating the outposts that had gone incommunicado.

Eyes still on the table, Jan spoke.

"I think we should investigate Outpost Beta on Falrion first, it was the one we lost communication with most recently. From there we can go on to…"

Though her response seemed normal, Nerwen and Tinuviel were both certain that something was amiss.

_Jan's just not acting like her normal self, _thought Nerwen_._

_I don't want to bother her, but this can't go on_, thought Tinuviel

"Jan?" they said together

"What?" came back the response along with a quick, rough gesture.

And then, an instant later, Jan's head came up, a recalcitrant expression on her face.

"Sorry," she said, "I didn't mean to say that."

She sighed.

"Guess I've been looking at this board for too long. What's up?"

The Intelligence chiefs looked at her quizzically.

"You're mad about something aren't you?" said Nerwen, "You're making those gestures again. And the only time I've seen you do that is when you're angry."

"Not at all," Jan said, her voice tone normal, "I was just too focused. I'm not mad."

"It's about Kyle isn't it?" asked Tinuviel.

Nerwen nodded, adding, "Right, it's always about Kyle."

Tinuviel smiled.

"When you think about it, it's kind of charming how they constantly bicker."

"Indeed," said Nerwen, "it's probably because they have…"

"Such similar temperaments," Tinuviel finished.

Jan watched in bewilderment as the two went back and forth with each other, verbally dissecting the very thing foremost in her mind.

_Well, I'm not going to just let them keep going._

"Hey!" Jan said firmly, stopping the pair in mid sentence, "I _am_ right here!"

"We know," Tinuviel and Nerwen said together, smiling at her.

"So tell us," said Nerwen, placing her elbows on the plotting table and placing her face in her cupped hands, "What has he done now?"

Tinuviel leaned on her left, her face turned towards her sister.

"He probably said something wrong again. You know him, he's always…"

"saying something wrong," Nerwen completed, "but you have to admit, it's part of what makes him charming."

Tinuviel nodded.

"Right, his sense of humor. It is _very_ cute."

Jan glared at both of them.

"Not always, it isn't," she muttered, remembering the confrontation between her and Kyle.

"C'mon Jan," Tinuviel entreated, "Do tell us what's wrong. We can both see something's bothering you."

"And you know," Nerwen added, "talking about a problem almost always helps."

"That's right," said Tinuviel, "that's why the two of us _always_ go to each other when we have problems."

She smiled at her sister.

"Indeed," said Nerwen, smiling back, "that's why we're so close and why we work so well together."

"Like the fact that you two look alike doesn't have anything to do with it," Jan muttered.

And then just as quickly, she regretted the statement.

Here were Tinuviel and Nerwen trying to help, offering to listen and console and she was _attacking _them!

_Just like I attacked Kyle._

She opened her mouth to speak, but Nerwen beat her to it.

And as Jan soon discovered, neither sister was the slightest bit upset with her or her comment.

"Identical looks," Nerwen began.

"Different personalities," Tinuviel finished.

Jan looked into their open faces, the way their eyes seemed to be reaching out, offering a hand to her.

It made her feel all the more terrible.

"I'm sorry," she said, her voice low.

"For what?" Nerwen asked.

"For what you said just now?" inquired Tinuviel.

Jan looked at them, nodded.

The twins looked at each for a moment and then laughed.

"We've heard..," Tinuviel began.

"comments like that…," Nerwen added.

"ever since we were kids," they finished together.

Jan stared at them openmouthed for a moment

_How do they do that?_

Then her expression grew somber again.

"Did you think…" Nerwen said.

"We'd get mad?" finished Tinuviel.

Jan hesitated a moment, then nodded.

The pair smiled at her and shook their heads.

"We aren't mad, Jan," said Tinuviel, "we just…"

"want to know what's wrong," finished Nerwen.

Realizing that the twins were really trying to reach out to here, Jan tried to speak, but no words came.

Instead, tears threatened to.

Seeming to move as one, the Intelligence chiefs came around the table to where Jan was.

They each took one of her hands.

"Please, Jan," Tinuviel said, "tell us what's wrong."

"We want to help," added Nerwen, "please let us."

It took Jan a moment to find her voice.

"I… I… I've… made a mistake, a very bad mistake."

The twins looked at each other in confusion.

"C'mon, Jan," suggested Nerwen, "let's take a break."

"Yes," added Tinuviel, "it'll do us all good."

Jan nodded, and the three left the room.

_And maybe, _the pair thought, _you'll finally tell us what's wrong.

* * *

_

**Rebel Star Destroyer **_**Intrepid**_

**Deck 12 Mess Hall**

**1710 Hours**

Finding the most secluded table in the room, the trio took seats, each with a steaming mug of caf in front of them.

Jan took a long sip of hers.

"How do you feel?" asked Nerwen.

"Any better?" chimed in Tinuviel.

Jan didn't answer for a long moment.

"Jan?" the twins asked together.

Her head came up as if she had been asleep and had just woken up.

She looked at them.

"Yes, I'm alright. At least I think so."

The twins looked to each other and rolled their eyes, then turned back to her with frowns on their faces.

"Don't lie to us, Jan. We know something's wrong. Now spill it!"

The strong words, spoken in concert, seemed to penetrate inside.

If nothing else, Jan knew she was going to have to confide in someone.

She sighed heavily.

"Kyle is leaving."

The twin's eyes went wide with surprise.

"Leaving?" Tinuviel said.

"Since when?" Nerwen asked.

"We haven't heard anything about it," said Tinuviel.

"Why is he leaving?" Nerwen pressed.

Jan jumped in when the pair took a breath.

"It's not like that," she said quickly, "he's just going back for a time to his home world of Sulon."

"Oh!" said Nerwen.

"So that's it," added Tinuviel.

"But why?" they said together.

Jan almost told them outright, but then she remembered his face.

"I… can't tell you everything. But it has to do with some information he received on our last mission."

"Oh," said Tinuviel, "you must mean…"

"the disc," finished Nerwen.

Jan stared at them with a surprised look.

"How'd you find out about that?"

"Please, Jan," said Nerwen.

"We are in Intelligence after all," said Tinuviel.

She marveled that the twins had somehow learned of the disc Kyle had gotten from 8t88.

"So then, Kyle is going to Sulon," said Tinuviel.

"To find out something about this disc," added Nerwen.

Jan nodded.

"You want to be with him, don't you?" asked Nerwen.

Tinuviel nodded.

Jan considered that.

"Not right this second I don't."

"Uh-huh," said Nerwen, looking at her sister.

"I suspect this problem goes deeper than simple worry," added Tinuviel.

"Fine," Jan said, her temper boiling over "you want to know? Here it is. We're in the middle of a meeting with Mon Mothma and Katarn goes and makes this crack about my operative skills. 'I'll make sure Jan comes back' he says. I was so mad! Does he really think I can't take care of myself?"

The twins said nothing.

"Y'know, I've saved his life… I don't even remember how many times! You'd think he'd be grateful. But instead, in one sentence, he dumbs me down to some kind of damsel in distress. I am _not_ that kind of girl!"

Jan realized she had stood up while saying this and now her breathing was coming in heavy gasps.

Cheeks flushing red in embarrassment, she quickly sat down.

Shaking her head, Nerwen cocked her head at Jan.

"I really don't think Kyle sees you like that, as the kind of girl who needs saving."

"I'd say it's more like he sees you as someone he must protect," said Tinuviel.

"Oh great!" Jan said, exasperatedly, "And how is _that_ any better?"

The twins smiled at her.

"Jan," Nerwen asked, "Do _you_ see Kyle as someone who needs help? Or more specifically, needing _your_ help?

"I don't think so. I mean there are times I need to…"

"Jan," the twins pressed.

"Okay, fine! All the time then!"

The pair nodded.

"And _you_ want to protect _him_, don't you?" asked Tinuviel.

"Of course I do," Jan said immediately.

"Because you care about him," said Nerwen.

Jan nodded.

"You know he cares for you too," added Tinuviel.

"I know," Jan said quietly.

"He doesn't want you to be hurt," said Nerwen.

"It's why he worries about you, just like you worry about him," said Tinuviel.

"And you know," added Nerwen, "jokes and wisecracks are sometimes used as a defense mechanism"

"In order to hide one's true emotions," Tinuviel said, "in this case, Kyle hiding his."

Jan listened to all this.

She realized it made sense.

Evaluating it in this context, his joke, even though it still bothered her, began to make sense too.

"How do you two come up with this stuff?" she asked, "don't tell me you both have degrees in interpersonal psychology or something like that."

The twins shook their heads.

"No," they said together, "we just learn a lot by observing."

Jan sighed, a small smile coming to her face.

"So if I understand you two correctly, Kyle really didn't mean anything derogatory with that crack, he was just trying to make a joke because he's worried."

"Exactly," said Tinuviel, "and tell the truth. You'll be worried about _him_ while he's away, won't you?"

Jan's smile softened.

"Yes, you're right. I will."

"Do you think less of him because he worries about you?"

Jan shook her head.

"If anything, it kinda makes me appreciate him a little more."

The twins smiled and nodded.

"So now you can go to him and settle this."

Jan started to nod, and then her expression shifted again, a hand flying to her mouth.

"What's wrong?" said Tinuviel, her eyes shining with alertness and concern.

"Did something else happen?" asked Nerwen, her face showing an identical expression.

"I…" Jan said, lowering her face; "am such an idiot."

The twins looked at each other, then at her.

"What did you do?"

"I…"

Moving as one, the two of them reached across the table and took her hands, which were sitting loosely on the surface.

"It's okay, Jan," said Tinuviel.

"You can tell us," said Nerwen, "we're here."

And so Jan opened her mouth.

"Outside in the hallway, after the meeting, I… I tore into him like a buzzsaw."

"I see," said Tinuviel, looking at her sister, who nodded.

"I… I accused him of intentionally embarrassing me in front of Mon Mothma. I made it seem like he was questioning my commitment to my duty. And then…"

Jan felt new tears come to her eyes.

Letting go of her hands, Tinuviel and Nerwen came around the table and sat on either side of Jan.

They reached out, holding her.

"Tell us," Jan," Nerwen said softly.

"Let it out," added Tinuviel.

In fits and starts, Jan told them about Kyle's vision.

"I made fun of it. I mocked everything he told, right to his face. And then, when he pushed past me, I… I… I called him a coward."

The twins said nothing, they just stayed close.

"Oh Sithspit!" Jan exclaimed, "What did I say that? What have I done?"

Long minutes passed as overwhelmed emotions expressed themselves, the twins sharing in it with her.

In time, when Jan seemed ready to listen, they spoke.

"Jan," Tinuviel said softly, "there's no doubt you did a pretty dumb thing."

"But you're forgetting one thing," added Nerwen.

"What?"

"Kyle did something dumb _too_."

Jan stared at them.

"I don't understand."

"He should have thought about what he was going to say before he said it," said Nerwen.

"Maybe he wouldn't have said it then," chimed in Tinuviel.

"And besides," added Nerwen, "knowing him…"

"he's as torn up about this as you are," concluded Tinuviel.

"So what do I do?" asked Jan.

"You don't know?" asked Tinuviel.

"It's pretty simple," said Nerwen, "go to him."

"Apologize," said Tinuviel, "and then tell him why you got mad."

"We'll betcha anything you want he'll probably do the same thing," said Nerwen and Tinuviel together.

"I don't know," said Jan, "what if he's still mad?"

The twins shook their heads.

"He won't be," said Tinuviel.

"Trust us," said Nerwen.

Jan nodded.

"Y'know, sometimes it's really annoying how you two are always right."

Nerwen smiled at her.

"Two heads…"

Tinuviel smiled at her.

"Work better…"

"Than one," they finished together.

Jan shook her head.

"It's really creepy how you two do that."

"We get that a lot," the twins said, looking at each other.

After making plans for another meeting the next day, Jan left the room.

She had one goal on her mind.

To find Kyle.

* * *

**Rebel Star Destroyer **_**Intrepid**_

**Some Random Corridor**

**An Hour Later**

After discovering that Caston Droum was on duty and unable to talk to him at the moment, Kyle had begun aimlessly moving through the corridors of the Rebel ship.

His repulsor scooter gave off a low hum beneath his feet as he negotiated another turn.

His mind kept going over and over the fight with Jan, what she had, what he had said, what she said in return.

_It was a stupid fight over a stupid joke,_ he thought.

He turned down another corridor.

_Jan oughta know I'd never question her duty or commitment to the Rebellion. I've seen how hard she works. _

Visions of planning meetings with her moved across his mind.

_And she's been there to help me out whenever I've needed it. Heck, I owe her my life at least ten times over._

Memories of their missions came to him.

_I wish I'd never made that crack. I never meant for her to feel like that. And I really wish I hadn't put my hands on her like that. What the heck was I thinking?_

He thought of her face.

_Sithspit!_

Rounding another corridor, Kyle heard a sound of surprise from someone coming the other way.

He quickly halted the scooter.

"Sorry about that," he began, "I wasn't…

And that's when he noticed.

Noticed the person he had almost run over.

There, standing just in front of the scooter was Jan.

Her breath was coming fast and hard.

_What has she been doing?_

"Katarn… there… there you… are. I… I've… been looking… all over… this blasted ship… for you."

Indeed, Jan had been through several of the _Intrepid's _decks, looking for Kyle, running when she couldn't find a scooter.

"Whoa!" he said cautioningly, "slow down there. Catch your breath before you saying anything else."

Jan leaned forward, hands on knees as she worked to calm her rapid breathing.

He waited as she did so.

When she was breathing normally once again, he spoke.

"So you were looking for me?

Jan nodded.

_You bet! I want to talk to you, Kyle. There's so much I have to say to you!_

Part of him said to apologize right there and then to her, to talk this thing out.

But a louder voice told him to get out of there right now.

He turned the scooter back on and started to back up.

"Well, I've got to be somewhere right now, so…"

_Where in space is he going?_

It suddenly occurred to Jan that he was trying to run.

_Oh, no, Katarn! You're not getting away!_

"Hold it right there, mister!"

For a moment, Kyle considered not listening.

At the same time, he realized that doing so was only going to pour fuel on the fire.

_All right, Jan. Fine! _

He turned back towards her with a defiant expression.

She met him with a similar one.

"Yes?"

She stepped forward.

_I've got to control my temper, _she thought, _I don't want this to dissolve into another fight._

"We need to talk."

"We 'talked' earlier, Jan."

"I know," she said, "that's what I want to talk about."

_C'mon, Kyle, give me a chance here._

"Well I don't," he replied, turning round again.

_I am not letting her lecture me again!_

"I think you're forgetting one thing, Mister Katarn."

_I don't want to do this,_ thought Jan, _but if it's the only way I can get him to listen…_

Feeling anger creep around the edges of his mind, he turned back to her.

"And what is that?"

"At the moment," Jan said, "I happen to be an Alliance Commander and therefore, outrank you. So, we _are_ going to talk. And we're going to do so right now. That's an order."

Kyle found himself suddenly laughing.

_Oh! This is rich!_

"You're not serious! I'm not even under your command, Ors. So there's no way I'm going to follow your orders, such as they are."

"Fine," she said defiantly, reaching to her belt for her communicator, "we'll just see what Security has to say about it."

_Don't push me, Kyle. I'll put you in restraints if I have to, but you are _going_ to listen to me._

Kyle's amused expression morphed into a serious one.

"You wouldn't."

"Try me," she said confidently.

Kyle could see she wasn't kidding.

Memories of his last time in the brig flashed across his mind.

"Fine!" he said, "where and when?"

"To the briefing room on this deck and right now," she replied.

He gestured at the scooter.

"Then, let's get this over with."

The trip to the empty room was silent.

They stepped off the scooter and into the room.

Kyle immediately found a chair.

"Do you want anything to drink?" she asked.

"What I _want_, Jan," he said angrily, "is to get this over with so I can get out of here."

She nodded.

"All right then," she said, taking a chair next to him.

She looked into his eyes,

"Kyle?"

"What?"

"I'm sorry."

It was as if a switch thumped loudly into place in his mind.

Here he was, all ready to have another knock-down, drag out fight with her about last time, and Jan had pulled a trump card.

She had apologized.

He stared at her, mind awhirl, wanting to say something, but not knowing the words.

Jan continued.

"I realize now you didn't mean anything by that crack in the meeting."

_That's right, _he thought.

"And I shouldn't have accused you of trying to embarrass me or that you felt I had ever shirked my duty."

_I would never say something like that to you, Jan._

She looked at him, shields down and vulnerable.

"And I'm really sorry that I called you a coward."

Still, he was speechless.

Jan reached out and took his hand in hers.

"You're not a coward, Kyle. You're a pain in the ass sometimes, but you're not a coward."

_Jan._

"Please," she said, "will you forgive me?"

_I've got to say something. But what?_

Then it came to him.

He lowered his head.

"Jan?"

"Yes?"

"I… I'm…"

She waited.

"Oh blast!

He spoke the next words quickly.

"I'm sorry too! If I'd had any idea that stupid crack would make you feel that way, I never would have said it. I've give anything to take it back. And I'm sorry I shoved you. Please tell me I didn't hurt you."

She took his other hand.

"No," she said, "you didn't hurt me. Scared me a little, but you didn't hurt me. I was the one who did the hurting."

"So did I," he said.

"But I started it.

"I made it worse."

"Okay," Jan said, "hold it a sec. Let's just say we were both at fault, all right?"

"Okay," he replied, a smile coming to his face, though Jan couldn't see it.

"Katarn?"

"Yeah?"

"Look at me."

Feeling as if head weighed a thousand pounds, Kyle brought it up slowly until his eyes met Jan's again.

"I forgive you," she said.

"Me too," he said.

Gently letting go, Jan reached out to touch either side of his face.

"But I still don't know if I like this beard, Katarn."

He smiled, laughed.

She smiled too and pulled him forward.

Their lips met.

Sensations crashed inside both their minds. The feelings of anger and alienation from the fight flooded away, replaced with forgiveness and gladness, also a sense of coming back together.

Gently breaking the kiss, the pair pulled back from each other.

Their eyes met.

"Well," Kyle said, "at least _one_ good thing came out of this fight."

Jan looked quizzically at him.

"What do you mean?"

He smiled.

"We made up."

She laughed and whapped him on the arm, albeit with gentle force.

"You're a wiseass, Katarn."

"Guilty," he said.

Suddenly, his stomach loudly rumbled.

Cheeks flushing with embarrassment, Kyle scratched at his hair.

"Guess I'm hungry."

Just then, Jan's stomach also rumbled; her own cheeks coloring.

"Guess I am too," she said.

Rising from the chair, Kyle extended a hand, bowing from the waist.

"Then, might I have the pleasure of escorting you to the mess hall, my lady?"

Jan smiled broadly at him, taking his hand.

"You may, sir. And do be quick about it, I'm famished."

Laughing, the two of them walked hand in hand out of the room.


	7. Chapter 7: The Return to Sulon

**Kyle Katarn: The Rise & Fall **

**Book 2: Birth of a Jedi**

**Chapter 7: The Return to Sulon

* * *

**

A/N: Greetings to all! Shanesnest here with an early posting of Chapter 7 of Kyle Katarn: The Rise and Fall Book 2: Birth of a Jedi. I'm going to be engaged in some documentation from work the next couple days, so tonight turned out to be the best night to do it. I'm glad to see everyone enjoyed Chapter 6 so much. I was really looking forward to the reactions on it. Well, the story rolls on with this new chapter, so let's get to the shout outs!

Manus Dei: I can just see it. The doctor'll be like, "can I help you?" And the answer'll be like, "Yeah, I'm the Katarn-Ors kid." And the doctor's reply? "Ah well, I already know _why_ you're here."

Nerwen Aldarion: Glad you liked the surprise! So, the scene was somewhat… palpable then. Well, not what I expected, but… okay. Initially, I was considering him going to Caston Droum, but then I decided to nix that part and have him talk to Wineglass. The scene you two gave me made writing the part with Jan and the twins so much fun and definitely a whole lot better than if it had just been me. Thanks again for the help! Knew you'd like the kiss scene, that's why I knew I had to have it in there.

Tinuviel Undomiel: Indeed, for that chapter, they were the heroines! That whole line about Kyle being a pain in the butt almost wrote itself, it just made sense. I knew you'd like the kiss scene, it's because of the excellent scene you and Nerwen gave me that I was able to write that part. Man, guess I affected you as much as your sister with the workout scene! That came from partly from me and partly from my older brother when we'd work out together and discuss things that were bothering us. Oh believe me, I'm aware school is coming up! Things at my job are totally insane! All the new students and getting their financial aid straight is quite the endeavor. I can't wait for the call volume to go down!

Mach Farcon: No worries, those things happen. I get the comment from before now. And thank you so much for the compliment. It's inspiring for me.

The Wineglass: I was so glad to see your review! Glad you like this new story! Yeah, I've done a lot of mixing of good and evil Kyle in this fic, and more's to come! Sorry about the foulup with your character description, but appreciate the info nonetheless! I'm just glad you enjoyed the scene! Another is coming. Oh believe me, if I create any kind of love interest for Kyle other than Jan, Tinuviel and Nerwen will hunt me down! I selected the roles for them on a whim. I'm definitely dancing in and out of official Star Wars history, but that's the fun of fan fiction! Yeah, Jan pulling rank is funny 'cause it's so unlike her. Hope you like this new chapter too!

A/N: Allright then! Lots of good reviews, comments, info and advice! Please keep it coming! So, last time, the war between Kyle and Jan was dealt with through the timely intervention of the co-heads of Rebel Intelligence. And after some honest confession and making up, everything seems healed between our two heroes. So what happens next? Read on and see! ---- Shanesnest

* * *

**Rebel Star Destroyer **_**Intrepid**_

**Intelligence Briefing Room**

**The Next Day**

Jan eyes moved over the surface of the plotting table, reviewing the information on the Rebel outposts.

But unlike yesterday, her mind was fully engaged this time.

She nodded, feeling confident about her assessment.

"As I said yesterday, once we arrive in the system, we should begin with the Outpost Beta on Falrion. Once we determine their status, we'll move on to outpost Gamma."

From the other side of the table, Jan thought she heard giggling.

Looking up from the table, she eyed Tinuviel and Nerwen, who were doing their best to look serious and failing miserably at it.

Jan sighed.

"Go ahead," she said, "ask away."

"You made up, didn't you?" said Nerwen.

"We can tell," added Tinuviel.

"You're in a much better mood today," said Nerwen.

"That's true," Jan admitted.

"So tell us what happened!" the twins said together.

_Oh please! _Jan thought; _this is like a scene straight out of a high school holo-drama._

But looking at the expectant faces of Tinuviel and Nerwen and considering how they helped yesterday, Jan decided she could clue them in just a bit.

"Fine," she said, facing them across the table, "but it's nothing dramatic. We literally bumped into one another, talked and made up. That's it.

"That's it?" said Tinuviel, looking very put out by the quick summary.

"Surely there's more to the story than that," added Nerwen.

But there was no reply.

"Oh c'mon, Jan," said Nerwen, "You're not playing fair."

"You could at least tell us what was said between you," added Tinuviel.

This time, their glances at her had a bit of iron in them.

Seeing this, Jan realized she had little choice.

"You two don't give up, do you?"

"Never," said Tinuviel.

"Not when it comes to our friends," said Nerwen.

The word "friends" hit Jan unexpectedly.

Granted, she had known these two since being posted to the _New Hope, _but aside from mission briefings and the occasional meal together, they'd hadn't exactly been close.

She decided to ask.

"Since when are we friends?"

"Since the Ruman incident," the twins said together.

"The Ruman…"

And suddenly it came back to her.

A year before she had even heard of Kyle Katarn, Jan had been temporarily assigned to bridge duty when Admiral Huston Ruman had come aboard the _New Hope_ as its new commander.

* * *

Standing a shade under six feet, the admiral had wavy gray hair and a lined face.

His expression seemed to suggest that he had spent countless hours sucking lemons through a straw.

But despite this, all went well until the Admiral had come on the bridge.

Asked for a tactical status report, Tinuviel and Nerwen had come over and did their best to inform the Admiral of the ship's current status as well as the latest updates from the Rebel spy network.

And as they usually did, the two of them traded off on who was speaking and occasionally, said things together.

Nerwen was in mid-sentence when the Admiral butted in.

"I've had just about enough of this. Is there something wrong with the two of you?"

"Sir?" the twins said together.

"When I ask a question, I don't appreciate getting an answer that's bounced between the two of you like a null-grav volleyball match. Is there some reason you two act like this?"

"We didn't mean to offend, sir," said Tinuviel, "it's just that…

"We've always talked this way," finished Nerwen.

"Ugh!" the Admiral had exclaimed, "that's exactly what I mean! What is wrong with you? Are the two of defective or something? I'm stunned that you've been assigned to such a sensitive post when you can't even conduct yourselves properly. Can't just one of you answer a single question? Well?"

With the Admiral having drawn uncomfortably close, the twins did their best to not be intimidated.

"We're sorry, sir," said Tinuviel, her voice faint.

"We didn't mean anything by it," added Nerwen, her voice also quiet.

"By all the stars in the Treax galaxy, what in space is your problem! Get off my bridge! Now!"

"Admiral?"

"What?" the man said, turning towards the new voice.

Then, realizing how he was acting, Ruman coughed into his hand.

"Excuse me," he said, attempting to recover his decorum, "what can I do for you, Miss…"

"Jan Ors, sir. Special operative currently assigned to astro-navigation."

"Special operative, eh?" the Admiral asked, curious, "for whom may I ask?"

"Mon Mothma, sir."

The Admiral's mouth twitched, a bemused smile appearing.

"I see. But you're assigned to astro-navigation."

"Temporarily, yes sir."

"Do you have a question then, Miss Ors?"

"More of an observation, sir."

"Oh, really?" Ruman said, looking even more bemused, "and what is that, Miss Ors?"

"Begging the Admiral's pardon, but Ensigns Undomiel and Aldarion have served well in their roles in Intelligence. Their work has been invaluable to this ship and to the Rebellion as a whole."

"Is that right?"

"Yes, sir," Jan pressed, "and while, as you say, it is your bridge, I wonder if I might prevail upon you to please try and understand them. They are a bit odd, I admit. But they do their job well."

"I see," said the Admiral, the smile gone now, a frown appearing on his face, "and have you yourself observed their work, Miss Ors?"

"No, sir."

"Can you personally vouch for their performance?"

"Not in a professional capacity, sir."

"Then, Miss Ors, "he said, moving towards Jan, "I would prefer that you keep your 'observations' to yourself. This is my ship and I will run it as I see fit."

He got closer and lowered his head towards Jan so only she could hear.

"So why don't you be a good little girl and resume your post before I have you thrown in the brig for insubordination?"

Jan's eyebrow twitched.

_Oh, like hell I'm letting this go._

Lowering her own voice, she spoke again.

"Permission to speak freely, sir?"

"Go ahead, if you dare."

"If you think you're intimidating me, you're way off base. And before you say anything else, you want might to consider something for yourself."

"And what is that?"

"A breath mint."

The Admiral's face turned instantly crimson.

"You are on report as of right now, Miss Ors!" he said loudly.

He turned to one of the other bridge officers.

"Get Security up here, right now!"

The man hesitated before complying.

And when security officer Plasdan Marass had arrived on the bridge, he too had hesitated when ordered by the Admiral to take Jan into custody.

The binders had just been snapped around her wrists when the bridge door opened and in stepped Mon Mothma.

The Admiral worked quickly to recover himself before speaking.

"Mon Mothma," he said, a plastic smile on his face, "what… what a pleasant surprise. I didn't think we'd meet so soon."

"Neither did I," said the Rebel leader, "but I heard there was some commotion up here, so I thought I'd see what was going on."

The Admiral's eyes cut towards Tinuviel and Nerwen, who were carefully studying the floor.

Mon Mothma spoke.

"Admiral, I'm not exactly sure what has transpired here, but can you explain to me why one of my operatives seems to be under arrest?"

Ruman decided to make a stand.

"I am charging Miss Ors with insubordination. She spoke to me in a disrespectful manner and insulted me."

"Oh?" Mon Mothma said, her expression conveying bemused surprise.

She turned to the operative.

"Is that true, Jan?"

"Yes and no," she said.

Mon Mothma's eyes flashed.

"I think that bears some explaining."

"Yes, Mon Mothma," Jan replied, "I spoke up only after the Admiral was browbeating Tinuviel and Nerwen."

"I see."

She turned to the twins.

"Is that what happened?"

"We didn't mean to upset the Admiral," Tinuviel offered.

"We were only trying to answer his questions," finished Nerwen.

"You see?" said Ruman, "they've been doing that since I got here."

Mon Mothma nodded.

"Well, don't you find it strange?" Ruman asked, "I certainly do. It's like the two of them have some kind of mental defect. They're certainly aren't cut out for Intelligence duty."

"Admiral," Mon Mothma said plainly, a hint of a displeasure in her expression, "if it weren't for those two, we never would have received the information that allowed us to remove our personnel from the Unex system before the Empire attacked our base there, nor would we have been able to avoid the Imperial trap at Ghanton's Cross six months ago."

Ruman said nothing.

"I _do_ realize their method of conversation is a bit disconcerting, but I have learned to adapt to it. Don't you think you can do the same?"

Realizing the ground under his feet was beginning to sink, Ruman quickly changed tactics.

"Perhaps, but that is no excuse for the way Miss Ors addressed me. I will not tolerate insubordinate people like her on _my _bridge."

"Admiral," Mon Mothma said, the beginnings of a glare appearing on her face, "this is not _your_ bridge, just as this is not your ship. I am in overall command of the _New Hope_. But given the nature of my position, I chose to delegate responsibility for day-to-day command to you."

Now Ruman realized he was in trouble.

"I do agree that insubordination should not be tolerated. But given the circumstances here, I think it more likely that Jan was doing what she could to protect her fellow crewmembers."

"But, she… I…" Ruman sputtered.

"Admiral," Mon Mothma said firmly, "I think perhaps you and I need to have a talk."

Raising her voice, the Rebel leader called out.

"Is there anyone of command rank here right now?"

"Um, yes ma'am," said a Sullustan, raising his hand.

"Your name?"

"Lieutenant Commander Alwish, in charge of defensive systems."

"Very well, Commander Alwish. The bridge is yours for the time being. I will contact you as soon as my meeting with the Admiral is concluded."

"Ye… Yes… Yes, ma'am," the Sullustan said, stiffly saluting.

With a quick grin at the alien, Mon Mothma gestured to the Admiral, who did his best to maintain his decorum as he followed her off the bridge.

An hour later, scuttlebutt had it the Admiral was in deep trouble.

Thirty minutes after that, an official announcement was made that Admiral Ruman would be leaving the _New Hope _the next day.

And to the surprise of everyone on the bridge, but most certainly for the one in charge, Alwish was named acting captain.

* * *

Jan chuckled.

"It's been a while. I had forgotten about that."

"Well, we didn't," said Tinuviel.

"You stood up for us that day," said Nerwen.

"And that's when we decided," said Tinuviel.

"That you were our friend," finished Nerwen.

"And that's why we're not giving up till you tell us about yesterday with Kyle!" they exclaimed together.

"Okay, okay," Jan, holding up her hands in surrender, "I give."

The twins gave her an expectant look.

"We did quite literally bump into each other, me on foot and Kyle on one of those repulsor scooters."

"Wish we could have seen that," said Nerwen.

"It must have been quite a sight," added Tinuviel.

"Oh, that's not the half of it," Jan said, and went on to describe how Kyle had tried to run away and she had tried pulling rank on him to get him to stay, even threatening to call Security.

"You didn't!" the twins exclaimed.

"I most certainly did," Jan said.

She continued, telling them of going into the briefing room, of how she had apologized to him, and then he to her.

"And that's pretty much it. We went to lunch, talked a while longer and then headed to our respective quarters."

Jan thought she was done, but then she saw the look from the twins.

"What?"

"You're not telling us everything," said Nerwen.

"We can tell," added Tinuviel, "there's something you left out."

"Not really," said Jan.

"Oh c'mon, Jan!" said Tinuviel, "do you honestly expect…"

"That we believe you two didn't make up?"

"Of course we did," Jan said.

"How?" asked Nerwen.

"Yes, tell us," said Tinuviel.

"Nope," replied Jan.

"Please?" the twins said together.

"No means no, you two. I've told you everything I'm going to. Besides, we do have a mission to plan after all."

"You're no fun," said Nerwen.

"Not at all," added Tinuviel.

Jan shrugged, feeling inwardly pleased.

There was no way she was going to tell.

Besides, what went on between her and Kyle was their business.

The twins stared at her a bit more, and then gave up, at least for the moment.

"So," Jan said, "Outpost Beta on the initial fly in, then Gamma. What do you think?"

Nerwen and Tinuviel called up the latest intelligence reports on the Drovan system on a panel built into the plotting table.

"Given the hyperspace route," said Tinuviel, "Beta Outpost _is_ probably the best choice."

"We still don't have any reports of Imperial activity in the area," Nerwen said, "I'm really curious to know what happened out there."

"Me too," Jan said.

And with that, the pair began to craft part of the mission plan, focusing on laying out the main and alternate routes for the shuttle to take upon entering the system.

* * *

**The Planet Sulon**

**Main Spaceport**

**Three Days Later**

With the low whine of its engines and the careful balancing of its repulsors, the Lambda-class shuttle descended towards the landing pad, its wings having already folded up into their stowed position.

Landing gear reached out towards permacrete, and with a small bump, the shuttle came to rest.

In the cockpit, Jan Ors finished her communication with the port control officer.

"This is shuttle LZX-46-Alpha to control, we're down."

"Confirmed LZX-46-Alpha, can we be of any service to you during your stay?"

"Negative, Control. But thanks for the offer."

"Understood. This is port control, out."

Removing the headset, Jan hooked it onto the control board.

In the co-pilot's seat, her passenger finished unstrapping himself and rose from his chair.

Moving to the back of the cockpit, he opened a compartment and retrieved his overstuffed duffel.

Looking forward, he saw her looking back at him.

"I wish I was going with you."

Kyle nodded.

"Me too, Jan."

He shrugged.

"But this is the way it has to be."

"I _know_ that," she said firmly, "but it doesn't mean I have to like it."

Kyle smiled at her.

"That sounds like something I'd say."

Jan considered this.

"Guess your bad habits are rubbing off on me, Katarn."

"I prefer to think of them as virtues," he said, tongue firmly in cheek.

Jan raised an eyebrow at him.

"Problem?" he asked innocently.

"You really want me to answer that, Kyle?"

"Prob'ly not," he replied.

A pregnant pause hung in the air.

"I'll send a signal as soon as I get the disc checked out, okay?"

She nodded.

"I'll let Wexter know in case I'm not back from my mission yet."

He nodded.

Another long pause.

"Well," Kyle finally said, shifting his bag on his shoulder, "I'd better get going."

Jan nodded, not trusting herself to speak at that moment.

"Be careful."

"I should be saying that to you, Jan. You're the one going into the unknown situation."

"I suppose, but still…

"Jan, Sulon is my home. And the Empire is far away from here. What could happen?"

And with that, he waved at her, turned and left the cockpit.

Footsteps rang as he descended the ramp.

When he came into view beyond the ships' nose, Jan was tempted to go after him, but resisted the temptation.

All that had needed to be said had been said, anything else would just make things harder.

She considered Kyle's last words to her.

"'What could happen?'" she muttered, "Famous last words, Katarn."

Then she shook her head.

_Enough of this! I'm acting like some silly lovelorn schoolgirl! I have work to do!_

But still, she didn't reach for the instrument panel until Kyle was out of sight.

His back to the shuttle as he walked away from it, Kyle half expected Jan to come down the ramp after him.

And part of him almost wished she would.

_No, _he decided, _she has work to do and so do I. Besides, I'll see her again soon._

That thought brought a smile to his face as he headed for the port office.

His next step now that he had arrived on Sulon was to rent some transportation and see what he could find out about his father's and the home he had grown up in.

A set of transparisteel doors parted before him as he stepped inside the largest building in a small cluster of six total structures.

Being more or less a backwater world, Sulon's spaceport facilities were limited to the essentials.

A single rental counter was visible as Kyle stepped inside the building.

The man standing behind looked to be in his early 50s, maybe 60s, Kyle estimated. Iron gray hair and beard framed a suntanned, weather beaten face.

But the man's hazel eyes were alive and bright.

"Help ya?"

"I need to rent some transportation," Kyle said.

"Anything in particular? The man asked.

"I'm heading for one of the outer farms. The old Katarn place."

The man seemed to come alive at the name.

"Ah, you mean Morgan Katarn's place. Dang shame about him, the Imps killin' him and all. You a friend or sumthin'?"

Feeling a little suspicious, Kyle was hesitant to reveal who he was.

"Something like that," he said, "I knew him for a while back."

"Is that right?" the man said, suddenly pulling a blaster and aiming it at Kyle, "well that's right hard to believe, sonny, since I knew ol' Morgan and most of his friends. And you ain't one of them."

_Well,_ Kyle thought, _so much for subterfuge_.

"Now, suppose you tell me who you really are and what you want with Morgan Katarn's place before my trigger finger gets itchy."

Kyle sighed, dropping his guard.

"Fine, I get it. I'm Kyle Katarn, his son."

The older man's eyes went wide, and then returned to a suspicious glare.

"And how do I know you ain't lying?"

Kyle's mind raced, searching for some part of his past that would confirm his identity.

The answer came, but it was a memory he particularly cared to visit.

"My mom is buried on southwest corner of the farm. My father chose it so she would always have a view of the sunset."

Just as quickly as the blaster had come out, it disappeared.

"Bless my soul, you _are_ Morgan's son."

Kyle nodded.

"I'm Hoxel Nuvton; I used to own the farm three miles over from your father's."

Kyle remembered.

"Near where the G-tap was."

Nuvton nodded.

"Back before the Imps took it over. But, look at you. It's been a long time since I saw you last."

Kyle's cheeks colored a little.

"You don't remember me, do you?"

"Sorry."

"Then how about this?" said Nuvton.

Taking a deep breath, he shouted, "You better that dang scooter off my land, boy!"

Kyle smiled widely as the words triggered a memory.

"Old man Hoxel!"

Nuvton nodded.

Kyle stepped forward and clasped hands with the man.

"So where you been, Kyle? I know Morgan had talked about sending you to the Imperial Academy. I used to wonder if someday you'd come back here in a stormtrooper uniform or worse."

"Almost did," Kyle said, nodding, "but then, a friend let me in on the truth about what happened to Father."

"Blasted shame that was. I'm sorry he's gone."

"Thanks," Kyle said sincerely, "I miss him too."

"So what happened after you learned about what happened to Morgan?"

"This same friend introduced me to a Rebel contingent and I've more or less been working with them ever since."

"Well, how 'bout that," Hoxel said, smiling, "your old man would be plenty surprised."

Kyle chuckled.

"I'd like to think so. Sometimes I wonder."

Hoxel reached out and gripped Kyle's right arm fiercely.

"You listen to me boy."

Kyle looked into the man's serious face.

"You father was blasted proud of you a long time before you left for the Academy. There'd be times at the local cantina that he'd come in and a bunch of us would groan and say, 'here comes Morgan again, probably with another story about Kyle.'"

Kyle listened intently.

"Don't you ever think you father was anything but pleased with you, Kyle Katarn. Don't you ever."

Hoxel released him.

There was a long pause.

Cheeks colored in embarrassment, Kyle searched for the words to say.

"Thank you," he managed, "that means a lot."

Hoxel nodded, his own cheeks reddened.

He coughed once, twice.

"Now, Kyle, what's this about you goin' out to the ol' farm?"

Knowing he was in the presence of a friend and ally, Kyle didn't hesitate to answer.

Producing the disc, he showed it to Hoxel.

"I got this disc recently and I'm pretty sure it's one of the data storage discs my Father used to use."

Hoxel studied it.

"Can't say I recognize it, but it looks kinda old. It'd be like Morgan to have something like that."

Kyle nodded.

"What I want to do is go out to the house and find Wee-Gee. I'm pretty sure he can read the disc."

Hoxel's face suddenly clouded.

"I'm not sure that's a good idea?"

Kyle look concerned.

"Why not?"

"Well," the older man said, sighing, "With you father gone and all, the Raiders out to the east decided that your farm was now part of their enclave.

Kyle frowned.

While Sulon's dominant population was human, the planet also hosted a small band of Tusken Raiders whose ship had crashed there several decades ago.

* * *

At first, the Raiders had proven more or less harmless, setting up their enclave some distance from the moisture farms.

About the only time anyone saw them was when the Raiders set out to hunt wild game.

But then, when Kyle was about ten years old, a farmer by the name of Enden Russell had an encounter with the Tuskens.

Nearly 90 years old, Enden had lived by himself after his wife had passed away. The couple had been childless, though for no lack of trying.

While no one knew the exact story of what had happened, a security camera on the farm captured some grainy footage of a party of Raiders appearing on the farm and Enden confronting them, carrying a blaster.

The camera image went out of focus and when it came back, Enden was lying dead on the ground and the Tuskens were swarming over the farm.

No one would have even known until one of Enden's neighbors, accustomed to seeing the old man from time to time, had gone to the farm to check on him.

He had found what was left of Enden's body and managed to retrieve the camera before the Tuskens chased him off, retreating only when the man's cries for help brought out more people.

That evening, most of the farmers in the area had gathered at Morgan's farm, which had the only working holo-projector in the form of Wee-Gee.

When the last image of the camera footage had played, Skord Jameson, one of Morgans' neighbors, had loudly called for them assemblage to take revenge on Enden's behalf.

Though some were concerned about taking on the Raiders, the deal had been sold when Morgan, normally one who avoided confrontation, stood up and agreed with Skord.

"We can't allow the Tuskens to have the farm," he said convincingly, "my fear is if we do, it will embolden them to attack another one."

Those farmers with children readily agreed and in time, it was decided among all of them.

The next day, a part of fifty or so men set out for Enden Russell's farm.

The Tuskens, upon sighting the approaching humans, had raised their Gaffi sticks and shouted their cries as they came out for the attack.

But even armed as they were, the Tuskens' weapons and tactics proved a futile match against the blasters and laser cannons the humans brought with them.

When the last shot was fired, thirty of the Raiders lay dead, outside on the land and inside the house, which had been ransacked.

At the insistence of the same neighbor who had found Enden's body, a group of twenty or so men, including Morgan had stayed overnight.

The next day, a new party of Tuskens appeared, approaching the house.

The men gathered, preparing for a new battle.

Instead, the Tuskens halted their approached some ten feet from the house.

A single Raider, dressed in tan robes with a white head covering advanced towards the house.

Unsure of what to do, Morgan had volunteered to go see what the Raider wanted.

The two beings approached each other, the Tusken coming to a halt some ten steps away from the human, who also halted.

The Tusken began to talk and gesture.

While unable to understand the language, Morgan watched the gestures.

In time, he understood the Tusken he was talking to was the leader of the enclave.

Minutes passed.

Abruptly, the Tusken stopped talking, turned on its heel and walked away.

It joined the rest of its group and the entire mass moved away and out of sight.

Soon, the other men came to where Morgan was standing.

"What it'd say?" asked Skord Jameson.

"Don't know," Morgan said, shaking his head, "but I got the impression it said the farm was ours. At least, for now."

"But why did they attack?"

"And why did they kill Enden?"

Morgan had no answers for these and other questions.

In time, it was decided among the men that the Tuskens had taken the house and killed Enden because they saw him as an easy target.

Each man vowed to not let himself or his farm be the next victim.

* * *

"How long?" Kyle asked Hoxel.

The older man shrugged.

"It was a little over a year after your father died that I was out that way and spotted them on the land."

"I see," Kyle said, wishing even more that Jan had come with him, "that definitely complicates things."

Hoxel nodded.

"I don't recommend going out there alone."

"How come?" Kyle asked, "They're just Raiders."

"They're not like before," Hoxel warned, "the latest rumor is they've got weapons now."

"Weapons?" Kyle echoed, "As in blasters?"

Hoxel nodded.

"That and something else from what I hear."

"So they're armed. How?"

The older man shrugged.

"No one knows."

Kyle considered this new development.

Tuskens' on his father's property were more than a simple nuisance. And knowing they were armed…"

"Well," he said, deciding, "Let's hope they don't know how to shoot straight."

"You're still going out there?"

Kyle nodded.

"I _have_ to, Hoxel. I've got to see what 's on that disc."

"It's a fool's mission, Kyle. You could just as well end up dead."

"Maybe, but I'm not exactly unprepared."

Reaching into his bag, he found the item he was looking for and pulled it out.

Hoxel whistled.

"An E-11 blaster. Looks brand new."

"More or less," Kyle said, "it'll definitely do the job."

"I still don't think you should head out there alone."

"Does that mean you won't rent me a speeder?"

Hoxel's mouth twitched; a bark of laughter escaping.

"Well, at least some things don't change. You've still got a smart mouth."

"Thank you," Kyle said, smiling at the man.

Hoxel laughed again as he passed over a data card.

"Slot 9. Make sure it comes back in one piece."

Kyle took the card.

"And make sure _you _come back in one piece, boy. I ain't aiming to bury another friend too soon."

Nodding, Kyle turned and left the counter.

Outside the building, he found the speeder, an old XP-34 model in need of a paint job.

But its repulsor and control proved to be well-maintained and soon, he was sailing across the hills and valleys of his homeworld, heading for his destination.

* * *

**The Planet Sulon**

**Outside of the Katarn house**

**One Hour Later**

And as Kyle would soon discover, the Tusken Raiders had indeed seen fit to occupy his boyhood home.

But at this moment, one area of the house had been cleared of them.

Half a dozen bodies lay around the site, none seeming to have been blasted.

But if one were to look close, the evidence of wounds would become clear.

Not overly large, each had been more than sufficient to eliminate its target.

The Dark Jedi Yun surveyed them for a moment, and then returned his attention to the others.

He, Sarriss and Boc had arrived on the planet some hours ago and after a bit of searching, had found the Katarn farm.

Setting their shuttle down near the front entrance, the three Dark Jedi had soon found themselves set upon by the Raiders.

Boc eyes had gleamed almost joyfully and the pale-skinned Twilek had begun to giggle almost uncontrollably.

Seeing the tension quivering in the deformed body, Sarriss gave a simple command.

"Go ahead."

With a cry of supreme joy, Boc had leapt at the Raiders, at first using his Dark Side powers to knock them down and toss them away when they got too close.

But then, one of the Raiders who held a blaster had taken a shot at the Twilek.

Boc spun in a perfect circle, drawing out his twin lightsabers at the same time.

By the time he had completed the circle, both lightsabers were out and activated and the blaster bolt headed towards him harmlessly deflect away.

Crossing his sabers in an "X" pattern in front of him, Boc stood there, silently urging the armed Raider to try again.

More shots came, but not one made it through.

Then, even as the dumbfounded Raider attempted to shift its position, Boc leapt towards it.

His sabers slashed out and by the time his feet touched the ground once more, the Raider had fallen to the ground, dead.

Boc turned to the rest and methodically killed each one.

When no more attackers appeared, the Twilek closed down his sabers almost reluctantly.

"Come," Sarriss had called and Boc had come back to where she and Yun were.

A short search of the exterior of the house had located their goal.

And now as Boc and Yun watched, Sarriss raised her hands until they were parallel to the ground and closed her eyes.

Invisible energy flowed, reaching out towards the roof of Morgan Katarn's workshop.

A section of the tiled roof rose, then another, then another.

It took less than five minutes for Sariss to completely dismantle the roof and set the pieces down on a repulsor sled Yun had retrieved from the shuttle.

Boc seemed to be staring at the house as the last tile came to rest on top of others on the sled.

"That," said the Twilek, "should be all of them."

Sarriss said nothing, using her own powers to confirm what the Twilek had said.

Satisfied, a small smile crossed her face.

"What now?" asked Yun, "Did we come all this way just for these?"

"Indeed we have," Sarriss said, glaring at the youth until he dropped his gaze.

She waited a moment to see if he would say more.

When he didn't, she continued.

"We go now to Baron's Hed, and have 8t88 decode them."

Knowing what she meant, Boc gave a loud bark of laughter.

Ignoring him, Sarriss moved towards the shuttle, Yun following her at a respectful distance.

Engrossed in the prospect of what the items on the sled would produce, Boc suddenly felt something.

_A presence_?

He turned towards a low bluff, about a half mile away, and concentrated.

_Someone…. Someone is there. I can almost…_

"Boc!"

Sariss's commanding voice broke into his mind, shattering the Twilek's concentration.

He glanced once more at the spot, then with a hiss, turned away and hobbled back to where Sarriss was.

He tried smiling at her, but the Dark Jedi regarded him with little more than cold contempt.

Boarding the shuttle, Yun and Boc secured the repulsor sled, and then went to the cockpit, where Sarriss awaited them.

Yun took the controls and powered up the engines.

A cloud of dust surrounded the shuttle as the repulsors lifted it into the air.

Feeding power to the engines, Yun guided the shuttle skyward, unfolding the wings as they ascended.

Kyle watched as the black-colored shuttle ascended from the ground and rose into the sky.

He ducked down as it passed over the bluff he was hiding behind.

When the black shuttle disappeared from sight, his gaze returned to the scene ahead of him.

He had arrived at the spot just in time to see what looked like a repulsor sled being loaded into the shuttle with something on it.

Three distant figures gathered around the shuttle had then moved towards the ship, a third pausing, seeming to be looking in Kyle's direction.

Though fairly sure he could not be seen, he had ducked down nevertheless.

And now, with the shuttle gone, he faced the prospect of what to do next.

Looking at what had once been the front yard of his boyhood home, he noticed a number of wooden structures arranged on it.

At first, it seemed to have been done haphazardly, but gradually, Kyle figured out it had been done in order to provide both a hiding place and ambush spot.

_The Raiders are here then. They probably set those things up._

He considered what to do, finally deciding a front assault, while risky, would also be unexpected.

Coming down the other side of the bluff, his blaster out and ready, he had just crossed onto the yard when a feeling as if something was touching his ear caused him to turn round.

As he did so, he saw a Tusken Raider that had been creeping up behind him, holding a weapon.

His sudden turn had caught the attacker by surprise.

"Nice try," Kyle said, raising the weapon and blasting the Raider.

It fell, the wrappings covering its face darkening with blood.

It was then Kyle got a good look at the weapon it was carrying.

_That's not a blaster, _he thought, _at least none like I've ever seen before._

Stepping forward, he holstered his own blaster, and then reached down for the Raider's weapon.

Larger than a blaster, it proved to be not much heavier.

An oversize stock lead to an open trigger guard and a fairly thick body tapering to the muzzle of the weapon.

Most unusual was the vertical piece sitting just under the muzzle.

Attached to each side was a ball-like object.

Kyle realized that the weapon looked very similar to the Wookie bowcaster he had first learned about during his days at the Imperial Academy.

However, it had been said that the weapon was unusable by humans due to the amount of strength needed to cock and fire the weapon.

But as Kyle hefted _this_ bowcaster, he found that he could handle it quite well.

_Guess somebody made some modifications._

A blast struck the ground near his feet, the impact flash-blinding him for a moment even as he lost his balance and tumbled onto the ground.

_What the_…?

Rolling over onto his stomach, Kyle rose just enough to see over the tall grass. About three hundred yards away, having just come out from behind one of the wooden structures, was a Tusken.

It fired another shot.

Kyle rolled desperately to his left as the next blast chewed up the ground where he had been only a second before.

He rose up somewhat clumsily and began firing.

The bowcaster bucked in his hands, firing shots all over the place.

Gritting his teeth, Kyle exercised his muscles to bring the weapon under control even as another blast from the Tusken struck close by.

The weapon's muzzle finally shifted.

_There!_

Two blasts of green energy issued from the weapon, crossing the distance between himself and the Tusken in less than a second.

A high, almost howling cry rose into the air as the Tusken was hit and fell.

Kyle stayed where he was for a bit longer, catching his breath and watching for any additional attackers.

When time passed and none came, he moved down towards the front of the house.

Carefully moving around each of the wood structures, he searched for other Tuskens, in order not to be ambushed again.

But strangely, none appeared.

Feeling perplexed, but a bit more confident, he moved towards the front door.

It didn't open.

He tried again.

Still nothing.

_Huh. Maybe it's locked, or jammed. _

Given the situation, most would consider just blasting the door open, but Kyle knew something about this house no one else outside of him and his father (and now you!) did.

There was another way in.

Kyle moved to the left side of the wide porch, and stepped off into the grass again.

He began to make his way up a slightly steep hill running along one side of the house.

Nearing the crest, he suddenly felt uncomfortable.

His hands reached automatically and out came the bowcaster.

Slowly his forward progress, Kyle peered over the edge of the hill.

There, towards the far wall bordering one side of the property were three more Tuskens.

They seemed to be milling about, not going in any particular direction.

_So much the better for me, _Kyle thought.

He checked the ammo readout on the bowcaster.

It showed a little over a dozen shots left.

_Should be enough._

Gathering himself, Kyle moved over the crest of the hill, becoming visible to the Tuskens.

They all uttered their war cries and brandished their weapons.

Doing his best to ignore the bone-chilling sound, Kyle aimed the bowcaster, braced his body and fired.

The weapon still lurched strongly, but this time, it was controlled.

Four green bolts leapt out from the muzzle, two of the striking the nearest Tusken.

Without waiting to see if they were kill shots, Kyle shifted his aim to the second Tusken and fired three more times.

He had just lined up the third Tusken and depressed the trigger when it happened.

A single green blast erupted from the muzzle and then the bowcaster made a strangle "gurgle".

Kyle depressed the trigger, but the weapon didn't fire.

Instead, the ammo readout on the weapon blinked twice and went out.

_Oh great!_ Kyle thought, realizing what was happening.

He threw the weapon aside.

_Lousy piece of junk!_

He reached for the blaster as quickly as he could even as his left hand reached across his body to activate his shield.

The blaster cleared the holster just as the first shots hit him.

The shield deflected them, but the impact was very strong.

Kyle felt his feet slip, give and then he was falling backward down the hill.

He uttered a cry of surprise as he fell onto the grass and slid backwards.

The impact took away his next breath; however, the loamy soil provided an advantage he had forgotten about, one that served him well growing up.

It made for fairly soft landings.

Even as the slide churned up grass and dirt, Kyle felt only a little pain.

When he finally came to a halt against part of the house, he found himself in a sitting position, legs extended out in front of him and his blaster still clutched in his right hand.

With a renewed cry, the Tusken came running over the edge of the hill, intent on finishing the job.

So it was that a smile came to Kyle's face as he blasted it.

_That… was too perfect_, he thought.


	8. Chapter 8: A Path of Choice

**Kyle Katarn: The Rise & Fall **

**Book 2: Birth of a Jedi**

**Chapter 8: A Path of Choice

* * *

**

A/N: Greetings, all, readers and reviewers alike. Shanenest here with the latest chapter of Book 2 of Kyle Katarn: The Rise & Fall: Birth of a Jedi. The adventure on Sulon continues with this latest installment. Those of you've who like me, have played the game; will likely recognize many places in this chapter, although I have put a bit of my spin on some things here and there.

But before we begin, some shout outs are in order from Chapter 7!

Nerwen Aldarion: What can I say? I am Cliffie! Truly, it's not intentional; it just seemed the best place to stop for that chapter. I had a lot of fun writing the scenes with your characters and Jan. And of course they're perceptive! The flashback scene I felt gave some reason behind the relationship between the three and it seems to have worked. Yeah, Jan and Kyle definitely have feelings for each other; they just can't articulate them yet. The Sulon mission has been tricky to write as I want to keep the pace steady without glossing over too much. We'll see how it goes.

Tinuviel Undomiel: In the game manual, they're called Grave Tuskens, whatever the heck that is. I just decided to make them Raiders. The flashback scene came very naturally and was fun to write! I especially enjoy puttin' the Admiral in his place! You see it exactly with Jan and Kyle, both care for each other, but they're still unsure to some degree. I definitely feel for you on books. This one girl came into the financial aid office with this book for Intermediate Accounting that must've weighed like 7 or 8 pounds. I said to her, "You could bust your toe if you dropped this!" I will never understand how textbook publishers get away with some of the crap you have to buy. At the same time, I wish I was one; I'd be making money hand over fist!

Mach Farcon: Glad you liked it. A fan of the Sulon level! I'll be interested to hear what you have to say about this chapter!

The Wineglass: I'm thinking on reworking your character a bit given the info you've told me about yourself. It'll be something good. The flashback scene was a spur of the moment thing and turned to be a lot of fun to write. Hoxel Nuvton is someone I made up, he's not in the game unfortunately. Would have been neat if he was. So you think Kyle's going evil, eh? Just wait and see!

A/N: And with that, I present the new chapter to you and hope you find it to your liking. Please keep sending your reviews and comments. Until next chapter – Shanesnest

* * *

**The Planet Sulon**

**Outside the boyhood home of Kyle Katarn**

He sat there a bit longer, the ground providing a rather comfortable to sit in and the adobe construction of the house radiating comfortable heat against his back.

Kyle closed his eyes.

_Mmmmm, I wish I could sit here for a while longer. This feels so good._

Reluctantly, he rose to his feet and surmounted the hill once again, stopping long enough to retrieve the power pack from the Tusken's weapon.

He found what he was looking for.

Wooden shutters covered the windows of a room.

Kyle approached the center pane.

_It should be right here, _he thought_._

Several years ago, coming back from a visit to a friend's farm, father and son discovered upon reaching home that both had somehow managed to leave their entrance keys inside.

Both had bemoaned the situation until Morgan had come up with an idea.

Coming around to the left side of the house, the very place Kyle stood now, Morgan Katarn had gone to this same center pane and using one of his farming implements, proceeded to bash it in.

While the sudden noise and activity had alarmed Wee-Gee, it _did _get them into the house.

And so it was that Morgan had decided to rebuild that pane so it could be removed in case either he or Kyle should lock themselves out of the house again.

And now, the son turned operative reached for the pane's top corners and gently pushed.

With a resounding crack, the entire pane separated from the frame and fell inside, hitting the ground with a loud smack.

_Well_, Kyle thought, _they'll know I'm here now._

He carefully lowered himself into the room, finding it dimly lit to fully dark in parts.

Keeping his blaster out, Kyle reached for the back of his belt and produced a small luma.

Turning it on, he moved the beam around the room.

_Looks like someone had a party in here_.

The room had been trashed, a table turned over, chairs scattered about or broken.

Anger began to wrap it fingers around Kyle's mind.

Granted, his mother and father were both dead, and he had been gone from this place for many years.

But still, to see the master bedroom that his parents had once shared reduced to this state…

"Father… Mother," he muttered, "I…"

The cry of a Tusken shattered the quiet of the room.

Kyle whipped around, his luma shining out and illuminating a doorway to the master bath.

There stood the Tusken, one hand across its face to protect itself from the sudden flash of light.

Its other hand was drawn back.

Kyle's eyes widened as he realized what it was doing.

The arm came forward.

_Sithspit!_

The explosion was sudden and echoed loudly in the room.

A pall of smoke circled around where Kyle stood, causing him to cough.

He also realized he was okay.

_How did…_

And then, he saw.

The smoke, mostly comprised of dust that had lain on the ground for years, wasn't terribly thick.

He was able to tell that the thermal detonator the Tusken had tried to throw at him had instead hit the doorway of the bathroom and fallen back inside.

Kyle advanced into the room, moving past the cracked and chipped doorway and found the body of the Tusken laying half in and half out of one of the baths in the room.

He also saw a belt lying nearby with five silvery orbs attached to it.

"Well, lookee here," he said aloud as he retrieved it, "thermal detonators."

He clipped them to his belt and turned from the bathroom, leaving the Tusken where it was.

Crossing the bedroom, Kyle moved towards the room's double doors.

But as he did so, a glint caught his eye.

He paused and turned to his left.

There, lying on its front was the wooden double bureau his parents used, hand built by Morgan himself.

But of more significance to Kyle was the silvery object lying just behind it.

He reached down and picked it up.

It was a small picture, only 3 by 5 or so, but its contents brought sudden emotion to Kyle.

There they were; the Katarn family.

His father: hair still a mixture of brown and gray.

His mother, Patricia Katarn, raven hair shot through with a few streaks of gray that almost looked like highlights.

And himself; only a child when the image was taken.

His father's expression looked gruff, but a small smile was visible on his face.

By contrast, his mother's grin was broad and vibrant.

The child in the picture looked as if he was laughing at something.

He stared at it a long time.

It felt as if his throat was closing up.

_Father._

_Mother_.

He looked around the room again, memories of this place in happier times filling his mind.

And then he thought of the Tuskens.

The anger in him rose.

_How dare they? How dare these… these… animals! How dare they set foot in this house and do what they've done to it._

Kyle's fists clenched, tighter and tighter.

_I won't allow this… I won't allow this to continue. I'll kill every one of them for what they've done. I'll clear this house of all their rotten corpses and then…_

Visions of eliminating every last Tusken on Sulon appeared in his mind.

**Is that what they would want?**

The voice was so sudden and unexpected, Kyle turned round, expecting to see someone else in the room with him.

But there was no one.

**Kyle? **

He understood; the voice had spoken inside his mind.

It was Rahn.

_What?_

His response was full of anger, as if challenging the old Jedi.

**Is that what your mother and father would want, Kyle? Would they truly want you to commit such wholesale slaughter?**

_What do you expect me to do? _Kyle though back angrily, L_ook at what those… things have done to this place! What they've done… to… Father… and Mother._

**The Tuskens are only doing what they feel is their right as nomads and as raiders, Kyle. It is not your place to judge their actions.**

_How can you say that to me? This was my home!_

**Yes, it was. And I'm sorry this has happened to you, Kyle. But you cannot let the actions of those who don't know any better dictate your own.**

_So what am I supposed to do? Just let those bastards have the run of the house! Never! I'll see them all dead first!_

**And then what?**

_And then I'll… I'll… I'll…_

Kyle saw the vision again, of himself, blaster in hand, slaughtering the Tuskens.

But this time, he felt sickened by it.

He also realized how unfair he was being, raging at the old Jedi like this. Rahn had done nothing to deserve such anger.

But if the words bothered Rahn, he was giving no sign.

**I understand you cannot let what was happened go unpunished. But take care, Kyle. You are treading dangerously close to the Dark Side at this moment.**

_It's just… this place… the memories…and now…_

**I realize how this pains you Kyle. Your feelings for your father and mother do you credit as a man. Carry them with you and let them give your strength. But you must beware. If you give in to anger, all you care about will be destroyed.**

While Kyle understood the first part of this, the second part made little sense to him.

_What do you mean? I don't understand._

**You will, Kyle, you will. For now, all I ask of you is to be the master of your emotions. Control them; do not let them control you.**

A light seemed to come on in his mind, the reality of what he was thinking.

His anger abated somewhat, but not completely.

_He's right. It's just like all those years before with Mr. Russell's farm_.

More of his anger dissipated.

Kyle looked around the room again.

He realized that once he learned about the info on the disc, he'd leave Sulon once again.

And it was pretty likely he'd never come back.

_I'm no farmer. And besides, Father wanted something better for me. _

He thought of the recording of the two of them, just before he had left for the Academy.

_I said goodbye to this place back then._

And though he had now returned, Kyle understood that in regards to this place and this planet, nothing had changed.

He knew what he was going to have to do.

**But this time**_**, **_said Rahn, **you will not be alone.**

A sudden smile came to Kyle's face as a vision of a fresh face entered his mind, dissipating the last of the dark emotions inside him.

He nodded to himself.

"Then let's get what I have to do done," he said aloud.

But before reaching for the door, he slid the picture frame inside his shirt.

_Let's go._

To Kyle's surprise, the master bedroom door readily opened when he touched the controls.

_I wonder if the main generator is still on line then_, he thought_._

However, the room he stepped into next was completely dark.

_But maybe not._

Shining the luma around, his eyes caught movement to his right.

Spinning that way, he felt the impact of two blaster shots.

It staggered him back, the bolts deflected by the shield, but he still managed to get off some return shots.

A cry and the sound of a body falling came next.

It took Kyle a few minutes to find and make sure the Tusken was dead.

He shined his light around, examining the room.

In time, he recognized the space as the den/reading room attached to the master bedroom.

He was about to step into the entrance hall, figuring with the front door closed, he ought to be able to spot any attackers right away.

The door slid open

He stepped into the hallway.

And was met with a flurry of blaster shots as the Tusken who had managed to open the front door opened fire.

The sudden impact sent Kyle staggering backwards.

Searching his memory, he felt certain that he was being driven towards the house's living/reception room, where he'd be able to find cover.

That's why it was even more of a surprise when the floor dropped out from under him.

A quick descent ended as his boots struck ground.

Unbalanced by the sudden change, he fell to the floor, staring up.

His mind registered a hole in the floor above and that part of the ceiling above appeared to have caved in, which had cut off his access to the next room.

Unhurt, Kyle began to collect himself just as the Tusken who had been at the front door appeared at the lip of the hole and began firing down.

Moving to get away, Kyle fired up, having no time to aim

To his surprise, some of the wild shots hit and the body of the Tusken soon joined him on the lower floor.

After retrieving its weapon, another bowcaster, Kyle took a few minutes to collect himself.

His blaster ammo was getting depleted and so was the shield.

_I've got to turn things to my advantage. Heck, I lived in this house for eighteen years; I should know it better than the Tuskens!_

**Clear your mind**_**, **_said Rahn.

_Clear my mind?_ Kyle thought, _I understand._

**Close your eyes. Concentrate on your breathing. Think of nothing else.**

Kyle felt a bit dubious about this, but given how the old Jedi had helped him so many times before…

He sat back against the wall and closed his eyes.

In came air through his nose, out through his mouth.

He did his best to think of nothing else except this.

**Good**_**, **_said Rahn, **Now, see this house. See all its rooms, all its contents. **

Images of his younger years entered Kyle's mind.

Like snapshots, he viewed image after image of the house, its rooms, what was in them.

And with all this came a plan.

_I think…. I know what to do_.

Standing up, Kyle found the room's single door and passed through it.

He found the set of stairs he expected to take him from this level back up to the main floor.

As he moved up the stairs, Kyle was wary, listening for the slightest sound, the slightest change, the indication of something that shouldn't be there.

He had just crested the stairs when he heard footsteps coming from around the corner.

Drawing as close as he dared to, Kyle listened.

There was definitely someone there.

He briefly considered moving in with his blaster, but then remembered the little extras hanging from his belt.

Retrieving one of the silvery orbs, he pulled back the trigger, arming the device.

Drawing his arm back, he executed an underarm throw.

The detonator struck the wall and bounced off.

Kyle moved halfway back down the stairs just as the device went off, the explosion echoing down the staircase, along with the cry from the Tusken.

Moving quickly back up the stairs, Kyle found the body lying on the ground next to a partially blasted wall.

Ahead of him was another door and to his right, another set of stairs.

It took a moment to remember where he was.

He passed through the door.

It led him into the attached garage, a large cavernous space capable of holding medium to large vessels, although those were a rarity on Sulon. It had also housed the family two landspeeders.

But as Kyle stepped into the space now; he found only a dozen or so storage crates and about a half dozen Tusken Raiders.

Even as their fire converged on the door, Kyle was moving, hurling himself behind a permacrete pillar a short distance from the door.

He tried returning fire, but the storage crates provided cover for the Tuskens and most of his shots missed.

The murderous return fire also made it difficult to get off a good shot.

Kyle looked about the room, his mind niggling at him that there was something he could use here.

When his eyes reached the ceiling, he spotted it.

Though skylights built into the roof provided adequate illumination, his father had installed a pair of overhead light fixtures for the winter months and when there was inclement weather.

Each fixture was more than twenty feet across and six feet wide, hanging from the ceiling by four precisely bolted anchors.

Kyle shifted his aim towards them, shots ripping into the anchors, tearing and ripping at the metal.

Suddenly, with a loud shrieking sound, the first fixture tore free of the ceiling.

It struck the ground, its internal components exploding even as shards of metal and transparisteel sliced through the air.

Kyle continued firing until the second one gave way also.

Screams and cries joined the cacophony of explosions and sounds of shattering.

Kyle ducked down low and covered his head as pieces pinged off the pillar he was hiding behind or embedded themselves in the wall right next to him.

When the room finally quieted and Kyle emerged from behind the pillar, the normally tidy floor of the garage was a mess of ruined bodies, broken transparisteel and shattered metal.

Able to move about safely now, Kyle went to the far side of the room to a small enclosure where a key sat.

He took it.

After collecting several power packs and recharging his blaster, Kyle went back the way he had come, and then turned up the stairs, finding himself in the small kitchen of the house.

Surprisingly, this room was neat and orderly, cabinets all closed, dishes and glassware all in their places, no sign of any disruption at all.

And while Kyle wondered at it, the immediacy of completing his mission sent him out of the room and into the next, the garden room.

Open to the outside by means of a sliding roof panel, the contents of this room had been selected, set up and lovingly attended to by his mother, who among her many talents, was an avid gardener.

Where a stone or concrete floor would have been, she had managed to grow grass. Along the walls, spaced just so were various plants in a riot of colors. The wall next to the door Kyle had passed through had been built just so under her instructions to resemble a garden from her childhood.

And while Kyle didn't exactly have a green thumb, he had to admit the space was something to behold.

And that's why when a pair of Tuskens attacked from behind a stone pillar, Kyle had retaliated quickly, blasting both before the battle could spill out into the garden.

A control panel just outside the garden in another wall accepted the key he had taken from the garage and opened the door.

Kyle entered what he called, as a boy, the circle room.

Part of the exhaust system for the house's power generator was located here and in order to protect it and the inhabitants of the house, Morgan Katarn had constructed a circular room of brownish stone.

It had been one of Kyle's favorite places to play hide and seek as when people came after him, he just moving around the circle to keep away.

Remembering this, he smiled as he made his way around half the circle and to the exit.

The room he now stepped into was a balcony running over the garage and connecting the Katarn's family quarters with the rest of the house.

To Kyle's surprise, he found a Tusken there, crouched low, rising occasionally to peer over the railing as if expecting someone or something to appear.

Unable to resist the temptation, Kyle crept up behind the Tusken.

"Looking for me?"

It jumped, squalling something as it did so.

As it turned around, the weapon it was holding struck Kyle's right arm, the impact strong enough to cause him to drop his blaster.

As it clattered to the deck, a surge of anger rose in Kyle with sudden and irrecoverable ferocity.

He glared at the Tusken.

"You dare to touch me?"

His fist was already in motion, striking the Raider in the face.

The blow sent it staggering backwards.

When its back hit the railing, Kyle hit it again.

A cry rose from the Tusken as it went over, not ending until it hit the floor with a terrible sound.

Kyle watched this, reveling in the moment.

And then, just as quickly as it happened, he snapped out of it.

A wave of dizziness overcame him.

He closed his eyes, swaying on his feet.

_What's going on? h_e wondered, _what just happened?_

No answer came from Rahn.

_What did I just do?_

The dizziness passed as quickly as it had come and Kyle found himself looking at the body of Tusken once again.

_Why did I do that?_

No answer came, except a remembrance of anger.

_Like before, on Nar Shaddaa._

And then he remembered the voice.

"_**This is what you may become."**_

An involuntary shudder ran through Kyle.

He decided he needed to leave the balcony right away.

Passing through the door at the far end, Kyle found the long hallway that connected the part of the house the Katarns once lived in with the part needed to allow the house to function as an independent unit.

He started down the hallway, passing the first of five sets of doors in it.

Kyle decided he needed to check the room, at the very least in order to prevent an ambush.

The door slid aside at his approach, revealing a storage room and a Tusken ransacking the shelves.

This time, Kyle simply shot the alien.

Moving across the hall to the next door, he found the room within empty.

Approaching a set of stairs that led to the upper floor, Kyle cautiously made his way up.

His foot had just left the last step when a door on the left side of the room opened up and out came two Tuskens.

They spotted Kyle a few seconds after he saw them.

Laser fire crisscrossed and within ten seconds, the two Tuskens had fallen and Kyle had been backed up against a wall, driven there by the Tusken's return fire.

Fortunately, his shield had deflected all of it.

Kyle checked the room they had come out of, but found no one else. This left only one other door to his right.

Proceeding through, Kyle followed a switchback path down to the house's lowest and largest storeroom.

Proceeding into the space, he found two more Tuskens there, raiding the space as the others had been doing on the upper level.

One managed to get off two shots before Kyle killed them both.

He proceeded through the storeroom, smiling faintly as memories of working with his father in this space entered his mind.

He proceeded up another switchback path that brought him back to the hallway he had just left and through the final door.

Kyle moved towards the end of the hall where a large, swing-up door had once been, but now was only a gaping hole.

Wind rushed in through it, ruffling his hair and clothes.

Despite having to deal with the Tuskens and the carnage around him, Kyle paused here, closing his eyes and letting the breeze blow over him.

Memory after memory flooded into his mind, bringing a happy smile to his face.

Beyond Kyle was a part-square, part circular pit.

Dark rocks bordered the space on two sides.

But it was the contents of the pit that interested Kyle the most.

_The old pool, _he thought.

Initially planned as a retention and waste water pond, Morgan Katarn had instead turned this space into a freshwater pool, the automatic filtering system using both rainwater and a small balance of what the farm produced to fill, refresh and clean it.

When Kyle had been young, it had been one of his favorite places to be, especially in warm weather.

The place he stood now had once been his diving board.

A sudden impulse struck him.

_No, _he thought, _I can't. I'm not a kid anymore._

But still the impulse persisted.

_I'm not doing it._

Still…

**Go ahead**, Rahn said.

That did it.

_Oh why not? It's not like it'll hurt anything._

An impish smile appearing on his face, Kyle backed away from the opening and moved back towards the stairs, holstering his blaster.

Then, turning back around to face the pool, he ran for the opening as fast as he could, pushing off the lip at the last moment and catapulting himself into the air.

He sailed out over the water, ducking his head down and pointing his hands ahead to help make his entrance into the water smooth.

When his body slipped into the water, he felt his skin recoiled at the water's touch.

_It's cold!!_

But still, he exulted in the feeling as he rocketed forward a short distance before the momentum of his dive bled off.

He surfaced, wiping water from his eyes and grinning like an idiot.

Looking back to where he had jumped from, Kyle imagined he could see Jan standing there, looking down at him while shaking her head at his foolishness.

It occurred to the operative that at this moment, he wished she _had _come with him.

As his body got used to the water, Kyle swam to one side of the pool.

He saw the two long sections of rust red metal that divided the space into three separate pools.

Beyond them was a doorway he needed to use, but at the moment it was flooded and unusable.

Reaching the spot where his memory told him to be, he dived under, eyes searching.

There were a few rocks at the bottom of the pool, but he was looking for one in particular.

His chest began to ache, so he surfaced, took a deep breath and went under again.

This time, he spotted the object he was looking for.

At first glance, it appeared no different than any of the other myriad rocks around.

_But if I'm right…_

Getting close, he pushed at the rock, which responded by sliding aside easily.

The shaft it covered was revealed.

_That's it!_

Surfacing again, he took a series of deep breaths before plunging under the water once more.

He headed for the shaft, a circular affair of dull gray-silver metal.

He swam down some ten feet before the vertical part of the shaft ended.

Looking round, he spotted another section leading away.

He swam into it, traveling another six feet before finding a second vertical shaft.

_It should be right up here._

He could light filtering down into the water, growing brighter as he ascended.

His head broke the surface of the water and he reflexively took a breath, brushing the water out of his eyes so he could see clearly.

And he _did _see clearly, right at the blaster pointed in his direction.

Sudden fear gripping him, Kyle took a second, hasty breath and dropped back under the water just as the first blast hit the area where his head had been.

Drifting down a bit, Kyle looked upwards as two more shots struck the water.

The water dissipated the energy, keeping him safe for the moment.

_But I can't stay under much longer._

He considered trying to surface with his blaster in hand, but the attacker had the advantage and would likely blast him before Kyle could line up a shot.

That's when he remembered the four thermal detonators attached to his belt.

Pulling one free, he pulled back the arming switch, two telltales on the detonator's surface confirming its readiness.

Gathering himself, Kyle kicked upwards as hard as he could, fairly exploding out of the water this time.

Without looking, he tossed the detonator and fell back into the water.

Drifting down once more, he listened and watched as the detonator went off, the water muffling the sound of the explosion, but not hiding the bright flash of light.

He surfaced a third time, albeit slower this time and with blaster in hand.

But as he rubbed the water from his eyes, Kyle saw the blaster would not be necessary.

A Tusken lay at the far side of the small room, clearly dead, the wall behind it blackened by the explosion.

_Gotcha, _he thought, pulling himself up and out of the water.

He switched his gaze from the Tusken to a small control panel in the room.

Originally set up to be a control station for the pool's dividers, an accident had flooded the shaft, making the room reachable only by swimming there.

And while his father found it inconvenient, having to use the underwater had never bothered Kyle.

Moving to the control panel, he reached for two colored valves, turning one clockwise and the other counterclockwise.

There was a pause, then the sound of machinery coming to life.

The room's single window was not overly large, but provided enough of a view for Kyle to see the two rust-colored section of metal begin to move.

Each turned ninety degrees from where it was, notches in one of end of each section meeting with a loud thunk.

The effect of the change in the sections was now the pool was dammed, allowing one side to remain filled with water while the other side drained.

Nodding in satisfaction, Kyle left the switches where they were and returned to the well-like opening into the watery tunnel.

Taking a deep breath, he jumped in, allowing gravity to drop him several feet until he reached the bottom of the shaft and could swim across the horizontal section to the other side.

Swimming up through the other vertical shaft, Kyle surfaced back in the pool and swam to one side of the wall created by the two rust-colored section of metal.

The water grew shallow enough for him to stand and he rose to his feet up, water sluicing off him, his clothes and body soaked.

But where some would find it a bother, Kyle didn't regret one moment of it.

He moved to the far end of the wall where it neared one side of the pool.

Sure enough, there was the opening to allow access to the other side.

Kyle climbed onto and descended to the other side of the wall where the ground was still wet, but any evidence of the water that had filled this area was gone.

He had taken his first step towards a door a short distance away when laser fire erupted from it.

Kyle dove, water splashing up as he hit the ground, the laser blasts shooting over him.

He reached for his blaster and pulled it out, positioning the weapon so it was directly in front of him.

Aiming towards the door, he unleashed a volley of his own.

A guttural cry came from the door and a moment later, the body of a Tusken fell out of it and onto the ground.

Kyle rose carefully to his feet, keeping his weapon ready.

He approached the door warily, but no other attackers came out.

Stepping inside, he climbed a short, steep ramp that brought him onto a path where he could see the other side of the pool now.

Heading down the path, Kyle entered an enclosed corridor lit every four feet or so by lamps wired to the main power generator.

He smiled, remembering this path. It was the back entrance to his father's workshop and also provided access to many of the house's power systems.

Suddenly, a high pitched squeal met Kyle's ears, along with the flapping of wings.

_I've heard that sound before_, he thought.

It grew louder, closer.

A long forgotten memory flashed across his mind, and with it, fear.

Fear such as Kyle hadn't felt in years.

_No, no way, it can't be one of those. They're supposed to be gone_.

The creature came into view.

A tubular body encased in a boxy thorax with a prehensile tail that curved underneath it and paper-thin wings beating furiously to keep it aloft.

The Mailoc drew closer.

Kyle's eyes went wide with fear and he began to back away, retreating from the creature.

He remembered the encounter, seemingly a lifetime ago.

He was ten years old and inspecting some of the main generator's power lines when a Mailoc had appeared and attacked.

The razor-sharp barb on the end of its tail had struck the young Kyle in the chest, causing him to cry out in pain and falling to the ground.

The disgustingly yellow-colored creature had hovered over here, screeching and trying to strike again.

Kyle screamed and cried out for help, again and again and again.

It had seemed like an eternity, but in reality less than two minutes had passed before the elder Katarn, hearing his son's screams, had come running, a blaster clutched in his hand.

Sighting the creature hovering over his son, Morgan had fired, hitting the Mailoc with several blasts until it fell, screeching a final time as it body plummeted out of sight.

The father reached the son, finding him cowering and afraid, eyes shut tightly even as tears leaked out, hiding himself from the menace that had attacked him.

It had taken a long while before the young Katarn would even open his eyes, finding that his father had carried him back to the house and treated the wound to his chest.

Seeing his father's face, new tears had, both of fear and embarrassment.

But no words of recrimination of scorn came from the father.

Instead, he held his son close, gently speaking to him, assuring him that he was safe and nothing could hurt him here in this house.

The son barely slept that night, the nightmare vision of the Mailoc seeming to reappear every time he closed his eyes.

The next day, Morgan Katarn began to teach his son how to handle a blaster.

"You'll never have to be afraid of one of those things ever again, son."

And though Kyle had learned well, the next time he saw a Mailoc, he broke and ran, the blaster seeming no match for the creature.

And now, here it was again.

It was coming closer, the beating of its wings growing louder, its stinger posed to strike.

Though he could feel the weight of the blaster in his right hand, Kyle didn't raise the weapon, didn't fire.

His whole body seemed locked in fear.

He felt only the desire to escape.

**You must defend yourself, Kyle.**

Rahn's voice echoed in his mind.

Kyle didn't answer.

**Do not allow this fear to overcome you.**

Still Kyle didn't answer.

Rahn spoke again, this time with a disapproving tone.

**Your father would not be pleased with you right now.**

A new image filled Kyle's mind.

His father's face.

His comforting words.

Learning from him how to hold the blaster, how to aim, how to fire it.

In his mind, Kyle heard his father speak.

"You don't have to be afraid anymore, son."

As if released from invisible bonds, Kyle right arm rose, stretched out, his finger tightened on the trigger.

Three crimson bolts leapt from the blaster and sliced into the Mailoc.

It screamed in pain and fell to the ground, its body twitching before it lay still.

**Well done**, said Rahn.

A haphazard smile appeared on Kyle's face.

He looked at the body of the Mailoc.

_Was it always that small? And the wings, they're almost nothing._

Confidence grew inside him like a warm light, dispelling the dark cloud of fear.

_Is _this_ what I've been afraid of all this time?_

Emboldened, Kyle stepped forward and smashed the heel of his boot down on the Mailoc's head.

The carapace split open and an ugly, yellow-purple substance leaked out.

Shaking his head, Kyle took another step ahead.

He felt almost giddy.

And when the next the Mailoc appeared, he shot it without hesitation, stepping on the body as he continued down the hall.

The corridor wound to the right, then back to the left, tracing a path that Kyle had forgotten somewhat.

Three more times Mailocs attacked and three times they fell dead, not even getting close to him.

Minutes passed and then the corridor began to brighten.

Kyle moved forward until the brightness gave way to an opening in the corridor.

Another old memory flashed across his mind and Kyle moved out in the open, but carefully.

Stepping out into the open air, Kyle found the space he had just recalled.

Below him, nearly three-quarters as big as the pool lay another of sorts.

But this one was roiling with a dull orange substance where electricity arced across it surface at random.

Kyle nodded, remembering this place.

It was the waste plant for the main generator, where fuel for the generators was refreshed, recycled and reused.

Kyle remembered from his youth to be very careful in this space.

The orange-colored substance had the same consistency as water, but should one fall into it; the arcing electricity would quickly kill you.

Kyle followed the path laid out by his father from decades ago and passed by the energy lake, moving into another, shorter, enclosed corridor.

After about ten feet, a new opening appeared.

Kyle felt his heart swell as a new smile appeared on his face.

_I'm almost there._

But when he emerged from the corridor, the smile faded.

He knew instantly that the people he had seen outside the house earlier had been here.

Where once the roof of his father's workshop had been was now little more than a collection of two by six struts that had once supported the roof.

Between them, Kyle could see into the workshop.

It had been ransacked, tables, chair and all kinds of equipment and tools scattered about.

Finding the entrance, Kyle stepped into the room, feeling his heart sink.

The whole room was trashed.

Whatever his father may have left behind for him was likely gone or destroyed.

That's when he remembered the disc.

_Where's Wee Gee?_

He moved about the workshop, straightening some things, moving others out of the way as he searched.

Memories flooded his mind, memories of watching his father work in this place, later helping him.

So much had passed between them in this place.

So many good and wonderful times.

_And now, look at it…_

Moving a fallen shelf back into place, Kyle found what he was looking for.

But not as he had hoped.

There on the floor lay Wee Gee, the family droid, his friend and companion.

His body looked to be broken in half.

Kyle checked his arms, the single photoreceptor… nothing.

No response.

"Oh Weeg," he muttered, "What did they do to you?"

Suddenly, he noticed something.

Looking closer, Kyle noticed that the area where Wee Gee appeared to be cut in half was actually cleverly disguised.

The two sections of the droids body had been turned opposite from each other, but were still intact.

_You don't suppose..? _Kyle thought.

Reaching out, he held one piece in his with his left hand and gently began to pull with his right.

The right side began to rotate, sliding smoothly under his hand.

Kyle saw the two sections of Wee Gee's data input mechanism drawing closer together until they connected with a small, quiet, click.

Faintly, Kyle heard something began to whirr inside in the droid's body.

Suddenly, the sound of Wee Gee's photoreceptor coming to life was heard.

The droid's manipulator's arm moved experimentally.

"Wee Gee?" Kyle asked hopefully, "Can you hear me? Can you see me?"

The droid's photoreceptor moved until it was level with Kyle's face.

Lenses inside whirred and clicked as they focused.

Suddenly, a stream of beeps issued from the droid.

One of its manipulator arms seemed to reach out.

Kyle reached out his own hand and grasped the droid's arm.

Wee Gee's hand closed over his very gently.

More beeps issued from the droid.

Though both Katarns had learned to understand the droid's language somewhat, it had been a long time since Kyle had heard it.

But in this instance, the meaning was clear.

"It's good to see you too, Weeg. You okay?"

The droid beeped an affirmative.

"What happened?"

The droid gave a short series of beeps that Kyle translated as, "It's a long story."

"Okay, you can tell me later. But right now, I need your help with something."

He pulled out the disc.

"Do you recognize this?"

Wee Gee's photoreceptor turned to look at the disc.

It studied it for nearly a minute before looking back at Kyle and issuing another series of beeps.

"Recorded by my father? When? What's on it?"

Wee Gee answered with, "play it and you'll see."

Kyle nodded, extending the disc forward until it snapped into the droid's disc reader.

A lens underneath Wee Gee's photoreceptor came to life, a light shining from it as the lens focused the image being transmitted from the disc.

A figure appeared in the room and Kyle heard himself gasp.

It was his father.

Disheveled, his clothes streaked with dirt, Morgan Katarn looked as if he had just come from working on the farm's vaporators.

But as Wee Gee explained, the conditions were much more dire. Morgan had recorded this just before being captured by the Imperials during their raid on the G-Tap.

His father's expression was grave, unsmiling.

"This message is intended for my son, Kyle Katarn."

His father's voice.

It had been so long since he had heard it.

His eyes began to sting.

"Kyle, I have left two very important items for you here to help you find the Valley of the Jedi."

_The same place Rahn showed me?_

"The first," his father continued, "is a map that I have embedded in the stone ceiling of this room."

Morgan Katarn's eyes drifted up.

Kyle's gaze followed to where he would have seen the map had the roof still been there.

_That's why whoever that was earlier took the roof. For the map!_

He felt disappointment at having lost the chance at the item.

The message went on.

"The last is very special. It once belonged to a good friend and Jedi named Rahn. It is… _was_ his lightsaber."

With a click, a small hatch opened in Wee Gee's ball-like body and a silvery tube emerged.

The droid beeped, indicating Kyle should take it.

He did so, looking at the metal cylinder with strange box-like protrusions on its surface.

"Use them well," Morgan continued, "use them for good."

And with that, the image of his father fainted, the message complete.

"So this is a lightsaber," Kyle said to himself, "I wonder…"

His thumb slid across the surface and depressed a control.

With a loud _snap-hiss_, the lightsaber activated, an emerald green shaft appearing seemingly out of nowhere.

Kyle stared at it in puzzled wonderment.

He experimentally moved his hand.

The saber gave off a sound as it cut through the air.

"Would you look at this, Weeg," he said to the droid.

As curious as Kyle was, the droid reached out with one of its manipulators.

With a sizzle and spark, the droid let out an electronic scream.

"Whoa!" Kyle yelled, "Weeg! What's wrong?"

The droid clamored a bit more, and then extended the same manipulator.

One of the metal fingers was missing.

Kyle looked to the saber.

"You just touched it and…"

It occurred to him that the shaft was made of energy and strong enough to cut through metal.

"Better shut this off before something else happens."

It took a few extra seconds to find the same button, but eventually Kyle pressed.

With a _hiss-pop_, the emerald shaft disappeared, gone as it had never been there.

"Wow, Weeg, this thing is…"

In the next instant, Kyle Katarn's world exploded.

Or to be more accurate, the inside of his head did.

Light flashed, seeming to come from everywhere.

It threatened to blind him at first, but then darkened slightly, enough to allow him to see.

The light seemed to move, sliding around, over and under him.

It Kyle another moment to realize he was moving down a tunnel of light, a tunnel that was turning around him.

_What is this? Where am I?_

As if in answer, images began to flood past, the pace increasing until they were a mere blur shooting past him.

Somehow, Kyle was able to process every one of them.

He saw many people he didn't recognize, a planet where aircars formed constant lines of traffic and tall, highly domed building where several beings in long, brown robes gathered.

Suddenly, the view shifted and Kyle saw an image of himself.

No, not of himself, but of someone he recognized.

_Rahn._

More images flooded past, images of war and battle.

He saw the same building again, this time burning and smoking.

And then, in a flash, the images disappeared.

Ten seconds later, the tunnel of light vanished as well.

No, not vanished, but it was reduced.

Kyle now stood on a path of reddish brick.

On one side he saw a space made completely of light that moved and danced.

To the other side was a space of utter darkness; that also seemed to move and pulse somehow.

**This is the path you now walk, Kyle.**

It was Rahn.

**You have already taken steps into both worlds. But the time is coming when you will have to decide once and for all, where you will stay.**

_I don't understand._

**In your hands, Kyle, you hold my lightsaber. And from it, you have seen the events of my life when I wielded it as a Jedi knight.**

_All those images I saw…_

**Yes. And now, Kyle Katarn, it is time for you to embrace who and what you are.**

_What do you mean?_

**Like your father, you feel the Force. And now, with my lightsaber, you will begin to walk the path of the Jedi.**

_Force? Jedi? What in space are you talking about?_

**Think back, Kyle. Think back to those times when… unexpected things happened on your missions.**

Kyle felt confusion at first. But then, as he thought back over his missions, he remembered.

A blaster sliding across the floor towards him.

Being able to cover long distances in seconds.

The times in combat when he had massacred opponents; sometimes using only his bare hands.

All these and more he remembered.

_You mean, all those times, I..?_

**Yes. You felt the Force, Kyle. You used its power, sometimes for good, sometimes for evil. You know well how it feels****.**

Kyle thought for a moment and then nodded, remembering the times he felt power, power such as he had never known.

_You mean… that… I… am going to be a Jedi?_

**Perhaps. Only you can make that decision, Kyle. The way of the Jedi is not an easy path. There is much for you to learn and understand, perhaps more than you ever will.**

_What's that supposed to mean?_

He could hear the smile in Rahn's reply.

**That you will have to decide for yourself, Kyle. The door is open, but you must choose to walk through it.**

_I still don't understand._

**You will, Kyle. Things may seem unclear now, but they will not remain so.**

_What am I supposed to do?_

**My lightsaber is yours, Kyle. Use it to open yourself to the knowledge and wisdom the Force can provide.**

_And the ways of combat only it can teach._

Kyle shook his head.

_Where did that come from?_

He heard Rahn chuckle.

**You see? You are already learning. But be cautious, Kyle. The Force can be your greatest ally, but also your greatest enemy.**

_Because of the Dark Side._

Again, Kyle wondered where the thought had come from.

**Indeed. The Dark Side is tempting and very seductive in its promises of power and dominance. You must always be on guard against it.**

_But how will I know?_

**Asking such a question is a good start, Kyle. Search yourself constantly, your thoughts, your intentions, even your desires. All these can be used for good or evil in the Force. **

_And what if I fail?_

There was a long silence.

**That would be most… regrettable. For should you lose yourself to the Dark Side; you will become a tool of evil greater perhaps even beyond the Emperor.**

_You're not serious._

**You have great untouched potential, Kyle. As great as any I have seen since I taught my first Padawan. You are capable of doing great and wonderful things with this potential.**

_Or terrible things._

Again a pause.

**Yes.**

_What should I do next?_

**Use my lightsaber, Kyle. It will serve you well as a weapon for now. As I said, this is much to teach you, but for now, learn about the lightsaber you now hold. Learn to use it and to trust it. It will provide a gateway to other things.**

_I… I'll try my best, Rahn._

**I can ask no more of you, my friend.**

And with that, Kyle sensed that Rahn had left.

He also noticed that a door had appeared on the path.

Unlike most doors he was used to, this one appeared to be made of something other than metal.

Walking up to it, Kyle touched the surface.

_It's wood!_

The only wood doors he had seen had been in his home.

Since leaving home, he had gotten used to a world of metal doors.

He also noticed this door did not slide aside at his approach.

Instead, about midway down the door was a rounded object made out of some kind of burnished metal.

Curious, Kyle reached down and touched it, finding the metal cool to the touch.

Wrapping his fingers around the surface, he exerted some pressure and felt the rounded metal object turn smoothly under his hand.

There was a low click as the door's latching mechanism slid aside, allowing the door to open.

Kyle stepped back, pulling the door open.

Beyond it, the path he was on continued.

Feeling a bit unsure, Kyle sensed he was supposed to walk through the door.

And so he did.

At the moment, in places all over the galaxy, those who were Force-sensitive felt it.

If asked, most would find the feeling difficult to describe.

But there were two people who knew exactly what the feeling meant.

Heading out from Coruscant on a mission, Luke Skywalker had gone stock still for a long moment, then relaxed.

A smile came to his face.

_Just as the Holocron said it would be._

And in the meditation chamber aboard his ship, Jerec gasped aloud as the feeling rippled through him.

_He has awakened.

* * *

_

And so our hero takes his first steps as a Force user and as a potential Jedi. The next chapter will feature Kyle learning to use the lightsaber, look forward to it!


	9. Chapter 9: The Lessons Begin

**Kyle Katarn: The Rise & Fall **

**Book 2: Birth of a Jedi**

**Chapter 9: The Lessons Begin

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**

A/N: A good Friday to everyone! Shanesnest here with a somewhat late posting of Chapter 9, my apologies. I got involved with an assignment from work Thursday and didn't finish it until about midday today. Such are the things that happen. But the chapter is written and ready to be read. You'll probably notice a bit of a difference. After some comments, I've tried changing things to create more paragraphs and there, necessitate less scrolling. I hope the change is agreeable to you as well as the content itself.

I have to be honest, I'm not terribly confident about this chapter as I feel I have gotten mired in the minutiae with some scenes. Guess we'll see, eh? In any case, let's move on to the shout outs for Chapter 8!

Manus Dei: I agree with you! Kyle finds his old droid and just leaves him there? Kinda cold if you ask me. I imagine Wee Gee has got a lot of memories in his banks. As far as Kyle fumbling with the saber, I may have to see about having a scene with that. I'll think on it.

Tinuviel Undomiel: I'm glad you liked the ending so much! It felt really strong to me. I got the same feeling, that the Katarns weren't exactly rich, but made a fair profit off the farm. How else do you explain that huge house? Y'know, it is a real shame Jan wasn't there. It would have made for a great scene! I can't believe the prices on textbooks today. One guy told me he spent over $400 on books! Ridiculous! I remember burning my notes and other class stuff at the end of the term, kinda of a sense of revenge with that!

Nerwen Aldarion: Glad you liked the ending so much! It really seemed to work! Oh yeah, Anakin with the Raiders, total massacre! Yikes! I wish Jan could have been there when Kyle dived into the pool. It would've been so much fun! I had a similar experience with Doom back some time ago when I was attacked point blank after opening a door. It was like, yikes! Crap! What in the..! I wanted to have Rahn use the experiences Kyle had before to illustrate his connection to the Force. You can imagine how most people would react, probably wouldn't believe it at first. Yeah, it just makes sense for Luke and Jerec to both sense Kyle, Luke because he's becoming a Jedi Master and Jerec because of his connection with Morgan.

Tinuviel and Nerwen: Got another song for you as well! "Still Alive" by Nocturnal Rites. An energizing song perfect for writing and at the end of the day.

Gall 1485: Welcome back, my friend! A pleasure to hear from you again! Thank you for the wonderful compliments! I'm glad you continue to enjoy my stuff. Don't worry about the lack of reviews. Knowing you're reading and enjoying is enough!

The Wineglass: I took your words to heart and have tried adjusting things. I hope it's better and will be looking forward to your reaction. Please enjoy this new chapter!

Tig94: No worries, man, is all good! About Wee Gee, you'll find out and as for training, you'll see

Mach Farcon: Thank you very much! Yeah, it wouldn't make sense Luke not sensing this stuff, but such are the things that happen! Maybe on the house, but cleaning and taking care of it could be a pain.

A/N: Well that was fun! Seven reviews and hearing from a previous reviewer! Couldn't ask for much better! So on to the chapter. Enjoy and please review! ---- Shanesnest

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Kyle passed through the door, sensing rather than seeing it swing closed behind him, a faint click reaching his ears as the latch engaged. Then a beeping sound began to come from somewhere in front of him. It was low at first, but began to grow in volume. He looked, but didn't see anything or anyone. He changed his regular pace to a fast walk, hoping to find whatever was making that sound. It was beginning to bother him, the volume reaching almost uncomfortable levels.

Suddenly, the space around filled with light, like the flashbulb on a camera and when the light dissipated after a few seconds, Kyle found himself practically nose-to-nose with Wee-Gee's photoreceptor. The loud beeping continued and he realized it was coming from the droid.

"Whoa! Weeg! Tone it down! I can hear you!"

Seeing Kyle respond to its insistent calls, Wee-Gee stop making the sound. Then, at a lower volume,the droid emitted a series of beeps and whistles, the effect of which was a question posed at Kyle.

"I think so," he said unconvincingly, "yeah, I'm all right."

Wee-Gee asked the question a second time, preceding it with, "I don't believe you."

"Okay," Kyle admitted, "Maybe not exactly all right. Something happened just now…. something… strange…I"

A vision of the lightsaber entered his mind. He looked and saw the metal hilt was still in his right hand, his fingers tightly clenched around it.

"It was real," he said in a low tone.

Wee-Gee beeped another question.

"No, I'm not drunk, you nut! I'm just confused! It's not like I'm used to having sudden visions."

The reply that came back was no less pointed. "Well, you were sure acting like it."

Giving the droid a sour look, Kyle returned his gaze to the saber hilt.

"Something happened when I shut this thing off… I heard this voice… it was someone I know… and he told me…"

An idea came to him.

"Weeg, are there any of those old targeting drones Father and I used to use when he was teaching me how to aim?"

The droid confirmed that there were three.

"Can you release one and set it to attack me? I want to try something."

The droid's reply communicated both confusion and frustration at what Kyle was doing.

"Because I want to see about something… something from that vision. Just do it, okay?"

The droid gave a derisive beep.

"Crazy, am I? And who was it that managed to knock the house generator off line for almost a week?"

Wee Gee answered with a series of strident beeps.

"And there was the time you managed to jam the garage door in the open position during a windstorm."

The droid continued to protest.

"And how about the time you shorted out the entire northeast vaporator grid?"

Realizing there was no way it would win this argument; Wee Gee beeped a final dismissive comment before moving to the controls for the target drones.

"Just make sure you're out of the way. I don't want the blade to hit you."

The droid retreated moved to a small anteroom on one side of the workshop, then reached out with one of its manipulators arms to activate the appropriate control.

A nearby panel slid open and from it emerged a red and silver orb. Repulsors kicked on and the object darted towards Kyle, coming to halt just in front of him.

"All right then," he muttered, "let's see what this saber can do."

Pressing the same button on the hilt as before, he heard the _snap-hiss_ as the green energy beam flashed into existence. Wrapping both hands around the lightsaber's grip, he waited.

Responding to the activation of what it perceived as a weapon, the targeting drone began to dart about, using its repulsors to shift its course at random. Suddenly, it swooped in and fired.

Kyle tried to block the shot with the saber, but was too slow.

"Ow!"

The small, but powerful, shot grazed his right leg. The meaty part of his thigh went numb for a moment.

Wee-Gee made a sound almost like a human chuckling then spoke to the effect of, "I told you this was a bad idea."

"Oh, shut up, Weeg. You're not helping."

The targeting drone darted in again and this time, the back of his left hand was hit. A third attack produced a similar result.

"Aw, c'mon! I should be able to hit something with this!"

He was beginning to get angry, swinging wildly with the saber at the drone.

**Calm yourself, Kyle.**

It was Rahn. Distracted by the sudden "appearance", Kyle was easy prey for another strike by the drone. Again, he slashed wildly at it. Again, he missed, badly.

"Blast!"

**Kyle, listen to me. You must calm yourself.**

"But, I can't make this… this blasted… thing work!"

**A lightsaber is not like a blaster, Kyle. You can't just hack and slash with it and expect it to work.**

"So then what good is it?"

**You feel the Force, Kyle. Now you must learn to control it. Calm yourself. Get your control back and you will see.**

Kyle responded by deactivating the saber. The drone, sensing the deactivation, came to a halt a short distance away and hovered. It wouldn't move again until Kyle turned the saber back on.

Suddenly, he _was_ moving, arcing up with the hilt of the saber even as he activated the beam. With an electronic crack, the drone was cut in half, the pieces falling to the floor of the room.

A smile came to his face, but not a happy one. It was more like the smile of a predator having just killed its prey.

"Gotcha!" he declared triumphantly

The disappointment in Rahn's voice was all but palpable.

**No Kyle, **the old Jedi said, **this is not the way. **

The statement confused Kyle. He had beaten the drone, hadn't he? So why did it seem as if Rahn was scolding him? The old man ought to be proud of him!

"What's the problem?" he said aloud, "I finally beat it."

**Did you, Kyle? Did you really?**

The young man was about to respond with a strident yes, but as he considered the words Rahn had spoken, he realized that something didn't feel right.

_I beat the drone. But… something… maybe… did I?_

"Rahn, did I just use… the Dark Side?"

**Yes, Kyle. I'm afraid so. Just before you struck the drone, I felt the flash of anger in you. **

As the old Jedi spoke, Kyle realized he _had_ been angry at the moment, angry at not being able to use the lightsaber right, angry at the drone for hitting him so many times.

_And so I used my anger_, he thought.

**Indeed, **replied Rahn, **this is what I was talking about earlier, Kyle. The capacity you have to use your abilities for good or evil.**

_But all I did was destroy a target drone, it's not like…_

**What you destroyed is immaterial! It is that you did it, the reason why you did it, the motive! **

Feeling the sting of the words, Kyle said nothing as Rahn continued

**This is exactly how the Dark Side works, Kyle! Small and innocent appearing at first, telling you that right or wrong doesn't matter, only to follow your own judgment. This is the trap so many Jedi have fallen into, and been lost.**

Unsure of what to say, feeling a mixture of confusion and shame, Kyle remained silent. Nearly a minute passed before someone spoke up. Or perhaps the right word would be something for it was Wee Gee who spoke, posing a question.

"What was that, Weeg?"

The droid asked again.

"Next to me? Whaddya mean, Weeg? There's no one here in the room except for you and me."

The droid seemed to consider this before responding with, "Maybe, but it sure seems like someone else is here."

Kyle was about to dismiss the droid's observation when a possibility came to his mind.

"Weeg, what is it that you see?"

The droid replied with, "I'm not sure, but there's some kind of energy field next to you. At the same time, my bio sensors keep telling me nothing is there."

Kyle wondered at this.

_Could Weeg be seeing..?_

"You sure?"

The droid responded with a derisive response that said of course I'm sure.

Rahn entered the conversation.

**Strange, I have no corporeal form, and to my knowledge, no droid has ever detected a Jedi in this way before. **

"Weeg," Kyle said, feeling a bit excited, "extrapolate. What do you think you see?"

The answer that came was a shock to both men as the droid, "A second person".

**This is indeed a wonder, **Rahn said**. This droid is somehow seeing me.**

The angry words and confusion of a moment ago forgotten for now, Kyle decided he could at least provide the introduction. He gestured to his right, where Wee-Gee said he saw the energy field.

"This is Rahn. He is… was a Jedi."

A stream of beeps and whistles emanated from the droid.

**I'm afraid my language skills are somewhat rusty.**

Kyle didn't answer at first. For while he understood Wee-Gee's answer, he found it a bit hard to believe.

"Wee-Gee," he began, "says he remembers you."

Now it was Rahn's turn to feel confused.

**I… can't say I recall the meeting. **

More beeps from the droid.

"He says it was when you came to the house to meet with my father about the Valley of the Jedi.

**I remember now, your father and I met in this very place. It was also the day I gave him my lightsaber. Perhaps… in some way, a connection was created.**

"A connection?" Kyle asked.

**A Jedi's lightsaber is more than just a weapon, Kyle. It becomes part of you… a sort of bond is created between the Jedi and the lightsaber, a connection if you will. **

"Wait a sec," Kyle interrupted, "Are you saying that your 'bond' with your lightsaber is the reason Wee Gee can see you?"

**Each lightsaber is unique, as is the Jedi who wields it. My own Master once told me each lightsaber carried an echo of the Jedi who wielded it. It is possible that your droid has somehow 'sensed' this.**

Kyle found this a bit difficult to believe at first, but given the circumstances…

"You might be right. Wee Gee's been quirky ever since my Father built him. He's definitely not your normal droid."

The droid made a hooting sound followed more beeps.

**What did he say?**

Kyle laughed. "He said he'd rather be thought of as unique, not quirky."

He also felt that the tension in the room in the room had lessened considerably. This was confirmed when Rahn spoke again, a calmer tone to his voice.

**Kyle, I apologize for yelling at you earlier. It was unfair of me. I forget that you are not a Padawan learner who knows the ways of the Jedi. But when I imagine you falling to the Dark Side, the implications are very… disquieting.**

The man shrugged. "It's okay. I could tell you were upset. I just don't think I understand why. It _was_ only a target drone.

**On the surface, you are correct about this. But please understand that in my many years as part of the Order, I saw Jedi begin their journey down the dark path starting from something as simple as what just happened. They lost their fear of the Dark Side and assumed they were strong enough to control it. **

"And they weren't, I'm guessing."

**The power began to control them. They began to see all beings and even the galaxy itself as something inferior, something to be conquered and mastered. And in the end, the power consumed them, but not before they caused terrible destruction and death.**

"But I'm calm now," argued Kyle, "I don't feel like conquering or destroying anything."

**For the moment, I sense that is true, Kyle. But later, in a moment of crisis, a moment of duress, the temptation will return, stronger than before. And if you are not aware and on guard against it, then what is to prevent you from succumbing? **

Kyle started to reply, but Rahn wasn't done.

**We both know it has happened before, and more than once, most recently on Nar Shaddaa. **

A part of him wanted to deny the old Jedi's words, to stand firm in his conviction, his surety of control, of mastery over himself. But then, the memories came, memories of events, times when anger had consumed him. And in these events, the actions he had taken, the destruction he had wrought, the lives he had taken...

Kyle felt as if he understood.

_I… I think I see it now. I… Rahn… I didn't know, didn't realize, didn't see._

**But now you do, my friend, **Rahn said with a hint of pride, **and while these memories pain you, being able to feel that pain is a good sign. It shows part of your inner self, who you are.**

"So what do I do?" Kyle asked.

**There is a saying I learned long ago. The price of peace is eternal vigilance. For you, Kyle, this means to be aware, aware of yourself, your thoughts, your feelings and your actions. **

_You mean constantly question everything I think? Everything I do?_

**Of course not, even a Jedi Master would be incapable of such a thing. Instead, take stock of yourself at times; ask a few questions of yourself about what you're thinking and feeling and what you want to do. **

_And when I feel "dark" feelings, try to deal with them without acting on them. _

**Precisely, as I said earlier, control your emotions; do not let them control you.**

Kyle considered this. While on the surface it seemed somewhat difficult, he remembered how he had been taught to conduct himself as an Imperial soldier, both on and off duty. This wasn't all that different.

He decided to test himself.

_I want to try again with the targeting remote. _

**Very well, **Rahn said, **but before you start, take some deep breaths. Relax your mind, relax your body. **

Kyle complied, breathing in through his nose, out through his mouth, repeating the action several times while he tried to relax himself by imagining a grassy plain on Sulon with the wind gently blowing through it. After a few minutes, it began to work. He could feel his body relaxing, his mind calming.

**Good,**Rahn said, **good. Now, when you feel ready, activate your saber.**

Kyle moved his finger to the control and the brilliant green beam shone forth.

**Now, stay in control. Don't allow your emotions to distract you. Feel the Force and let it flow through you. **

Kyle continued to breathe slowly.

In…out, in…out, in…out.

"Weeg, release the second drone."

The droid pressed the control and another red-silver orb appeared, arcing towards where Kyle stood.

He watched it come, a part of his mind calling from him to attack it right away.

**Stay in control, **Rahn repeated**.**

Ignoring the impulse to attack, Kyle watched as the drone darted around. He noticed that it seemed a bit easier now to follow it with his eyes.

**Not just in your eyes, Kyle, but in your mind as well.**

The drone moved.

_There!_

He stepped forward onto his right foot and raised the saber until it formed a diagonal slash in front of his face. With a loud pinging sound, the bolt the drone fired was deflected away.

_I did it!_

**Remember your control!**

The drone darted in again. This time, Kyle brought the saber around in a half circle until it was perpendicular to the floor. Again, the bolt was deflected.

The drone moved again, but Kyle was right with it. The saber hummed as it cut the air, slicing down at the exact instant the drone fired a shot at Kyle's legs.

**Yes****, **Rahn said proudly, **good, Kyle, good. **

Smiling at the approval, he called out.

"Weeg, release the last one."

The droid gave a hesitating sound.

"It's okay. I can handle it."

The droid complied, albeit reluctantly. A second red and silver orb came from the wall panel, joining the first.

**Now, Kyle****, **Rahn said, **let's try some basic moves. **

Kyle felt fresh images enter his mind.

**Do you see them?**

"Yes."

**Good, now follow the steps. But remember your control; do not let your emotions divert your attention.**

The drones moved in.

He began, his body moving in concert with the saber.

A turn to the right sent a bolt slicing past him, the saber blade moving over his head to deflect a second. Another attack and now he crouched, holding the saber directly in front of his face as both drones fired on the same spot. Yet another attack; and he turned in a circle, the saber deflecting both bolts away.

**Yes, Kyle**, Rahn said, the smile evident in his voice, **well done.**

While he felt happy at being able to handle the laser fire from the drones, Kyle also noticed something, a feeling he couldn't quite describe. He felt connected to something, something that told his hands and arms, legs and feet, told them when to move, where and how much. It was like a dance in a way, where the steps were shown to him and he executed them with seeming ease.

Suddenly, one of the drones moved in for a close range attack. Normally, this would have startled Kyle, but at that moment, he felt no apprehension, no worry. Instead, he lifted the lightsaber in a smooth crescent arc, the beam slicing through the body of the targeting drone. What was left fell to the floor, making a rough clattering sound.

Taken a bit by surprise, Kyle stopped moving and deactivated the saber. He stared down at the broken pieces of the targeting drone, his mind replaying the motion, the strike and the drone being cut in half. It felt completely different from when he had destroyed the first one.

_Is this what it means, _he wondered, _to feel the Force?_

**This is what happens when you open yourself to it, Kyle, when you allow the Force to flow through you.**

He was about to ask what the old Jedi meant by this, when there was a whooshing sound followed by an explosion close by. The whole room shook, dust falling from the ceiling beams. Kyle fought to retain his feet as the floor quaked under him.

"What the..?"

Wee-Gee responded with a stream of strident beeps and whistles.

"Oh great, more Tuskens," Kyle said, translating.

He heard the whooshing sound again, followed by a closer, louder explosion.

"And it sounds like they've managed to lay their hands on a rocket launcher or something. C'mon, Weeg, we'd better get out of here while we can."

He moved towards the main exit when the loudest explosion to date erupted from somewhere on the other side of the wall. Kyle stumbled back, nearly falling to the floor while Wee-Gee put on a burst of speed to avoid of a section of the ceiling that had come loose and fell, nearly crushing the droid beneath it as it struck the floor of the workshop, raising a cloud of dust. Nearly blinded by the swirling miasma, Kyle backed away, hearing the cracking and snapping of wood. It seemed that the whole place was coming down around them.

When the shaking finally subsided and the dust dissipated enough for Kyle to see clearly, it quickly became clear that leaving the garage through the regular exit wasn't going to work anymore. Where the entranceway had been was now a haphazard pile of wood and dirt.

"Y'know, Weeg," he said, turning to look at the droid, "I think these guys might really be after me."

"Who else is here?" came the reply.

He gave the droid another sour look.

"Funny, Weeg, real funny. Listen, what condition is your repulsor grid in?"

Wee Gee responded that his repulsor system was fully functional.

"Good," Kyle said, "then here's what I want to do. I've got a speeder parked behind a ridge about a quarter mile west of the house. I want you to find it and take it to the spaceport as fast as you can."

The droid gave an incredulous whistle.

"What's the matter? Can't you handle the controls?"

Wee-Gee replied with, "Of course I can handle them. But do you really think I'm going to leave here without you?"

Kyle smiled at the droid.

"Under normal circumstances, no, but I need to you to listen to me on this one, Weeg. The Tuskens are after me, not you. If you take off by yourself, they probably won't follow. Once you get to the spaceport, I need you to find a Hoxel Nuvton. Have him send a signal on this frequency to let Jan Ors or Wexter Wayfarer knows what's going on and where to come find me."

He gave Wee Gee the coded frequency, which the droid accepted before asking, "And how exactly are you going to get away?"

Kyle started to speak, and ended up closing his mouth.

"Guess I haven't thought that part out yet," he said, chagrined.

The droid made a derisive sound, then offered a series of beeps and whistles.

"The old irrigation tunnels?" Kyle repeated.

Wee-Gee responded by reminding Kyle of the tunnels, once used to carry water from the farm's vaporators although they hadn't been used for that purpose in years. At the very least, it would provide a means of escape. However, the droid expressed concern for where Kyle would end up as well as how to find him.

Kyle lifted his arm to show the small computer built into the wrist gauntlet.

"No problem. I can transmit a locator signal with this. Once I'm clear and in a safe, I'll activate it."

Wee-Gee gave an apprehensive whistle.

"It'll be okay, Weeg. I've been in tougher spots than this. Besides, it's not like we have much choice."

The droid considered this, and then responded affirmatively.

"Good," Kyle said, patting the droids "head" affectionately, "I'll see you soon. I promise."

The droid reached up with one of its arms and gently grasped Kyle's arm. At the same time, it beeped something to the effect of, "You'd better."

Kyle smiled at the droid again, then turned away to look for the grate he knew was somewhere in this room, having to move some boxes before finding it. Now he just needed to open it.

An idea came.

Activating the saber, Kyle swung it down, the blade slicing through the metal bars with ease. Soon, he had a hole large enough to slip through. Deactivating the blade, he found an attachment point on his belt and clipped the lightsaber to it. He turned to look at Wee Gee, who was watching him.

"See ya later."

Crouching down, Kyle lowered his legs into the space, using his arms to lower the rest of his body in. Once inside the tunnel, he took a moment to survey it. Despite having not been used in years, the shaft still had a faintly damp smell to it. Looking ahead, Kyle saw a seemingly endless progression of gray permacrete slabs that formed the tunnel. After slashing through another grate with the saber, he proceeded down the shaft

It went on for a short distance, ending in an opening where Kyle could see another shaft, made of the same material as the one he was in. Judging the distance from where he was to the floor of the other shaft safe enough to jump down, he hesitated as his eyes spotted a Tusken standing just below and to the right of where he was.

_How did that thing get in here?_

Granted, the irrigation tunnels were not guarded, but to think that the Tuskens had seen fit to try and take them over…

As much as it bothered him, Kyle realized two things. One, it wasn't his problem. And two, there wasn't much he could do about it except to take out the ones in his way, beginning with this one. Not wanting to alert another attacker with a noisy strike, he decided to try using the saber. Pulling it free, he rested his thumb over the activation control.

Waiting until the Tuskens' back was turned, he jumped down. The instant his feet smacked against the ground, the alien began to turn around, a cry of surprise and warning rising from its mouth. With a _snap-hiss_, the saber activated and Kyle swung. The weapon gave off a sound as it cut through the air and into the target.

Pulling the blade back midway through the strike, Kyle retreated a step as the Tusken fell, its voice cutting off in mid cry. Blood spurted from the wound made by the saber and quickly began to pool underneath its body. Suddenly, from behind, he heard the cry of another Tusken. Turning that way, he saw the creature running towards him, brandishing a weapon. Holding the saber with the blade perpendicular to the ground, Kyle readied himself, focusing on his breathing and remembering Rahn's instructions about control. The Tusken fired, a stream of green-white energy emitting from its weapon.

Later, when the picture was complete, he would understand how he did this. But at the moment, Kyle felt a flash of surprise. Somehow, he knew where the shots were going and what he needed to do. Moving the emerald blade to cover his exposed right side, Kyle felt momentary pressure as the energy blasts struck the blade and bounced off, ricocheting up into the sky.

Still running towards him, the Tusken grunted in surprise, it's eyes studying the glowing green blade.

_Now! While it's distracted!_

Pushing off on his right foot, he ran forward. The attacker tried to raise its weapon, but even as the barrel was moving into place, Kyle shoved the blade forward. It sliced into the Tusken's chest, the tip emerging from its back. The alien stared at the pulsing energy beam sticking out of its chest, able to utter a final strangled cry as the man pulled the blade out.

As the body of the Tusken crumpled to the ground, Kyle wondered at what had just happened. While he had understood, intellectually, what Rahn had said about his connection to the Force, it hadn't seem completely real.

At least, not until now.

_Maybe Rahn is right about me and this whole Force thing._

Deciding that now was not the time to think about this, he proceeded forward, shutting the saber off and returning it to his belt. The gray slabs bordered him on either side as he walked; the sky visible negotiating a turn and walking for a time down a featureless corridor, Kyle began to wonder if the two Tuskens he had killed were the only ones here.

But as he rounded another corner, that idea was quickly dismissed. Another corridor was before him and about three hundred yards away were two of the aliens milling about near a large metal gate. Both were armed.

_That means straight frontal assault's no good. They'd get me before I got close._

Looking down at his belt, Kyle saw he had three more thermal detonators. And from this came a plan Arming one of the three, he drew his arm back and threw the silvery orb as hard as he could. It hit the ground about 75 yards away, bouncing and skipping as its momentum bled off, the sound drawing the attention of the Tuskens.

No sooner had they started in the direction of the detonator than it exploded, a ball of red-orange fire rising up followed by a pall of black smoke. Kyle was already moving, reaching across his body to activate the shield before pulling his blaster free. He ran through the smoke drifting skyward from where the detonator had exploded, chips of permacrete crunching under his feet as he ran, the blaster held out in front of him.

Seeing the approaching figure, the Tuskens fought to aim their own weapons. And such it was that all three beings fired at nearly the same time.

Kyle was caught by three shots, breaking his stride and sending his right foot skidding on the permacrete. But even as he fell, he managed to get off two more shots. Striking the ground on his side, he let out a grunt, doing his best to ignore the pain as he concentrated on using the momentum of his fall to roll himself over onto his hands and knees and back onto his feet.

His shots had killed one of the Tuskens, but the second had suffered only a minor wound. As Kyle stood up, it gave off a loud cry as it opened fire. The operative managed to get off an answering volley before he was driven back against the wall of the shaft, the shield managing to deflect the weapons fire, but not the force of shots. A scream followed by the sound of a body falling told him the second Tusken had been hit.

With both targets taken care of, Kyle took a moment to catch his breath. His left side and knees ached from where he had hit them earlier, but otherwise, he was okay. A check of the shield showed 60% power left.

Once he felt able to continue, Kyle approached the metal door, its surface a darker gray than the walls to either side. Fortunately, there was a control box nearby and after he pressed the appropriate button, the door rose smoothly and out of the way. The corridor continued beyond for another hundred yards before coming to a dead end against a wall of permacrete.

Approaching this space, Kyle considered where he could go now. Turning round, he briefly considered going back the way he had come when he spotted the narrow ramp built into the wall to his right. A short climb placed him on a flat plain where he had a choice of three different paths he could take.

_Great, now where do I go?_

On the heels of that thought, Rahn's voice seemed to speak inside his mind once more, reminding him to try and be calm. Part of his mind rebelled at this, wanting decisive action right now and for a moment, Kyle almost gave in. But then he remembered what Rahn had said about the Force.

_Well, _he decided, _it's worth a try._

Dropping to one knee, Kyle worked to calm his breathing and focus his mind. His eyes drifted closed, almost through their own volition. He thought about the space he was in and how desired to find a place that Jan could find him. Her face appeared in his mind, and he smiled at the thought of how he would explain what had happened here to her.

And then, it came.

Kyle's eyes snapped open. He rose to his feet and stepped forward. He knew where he had to go. It was so obvious; he wondered how he had been unable to figure it out before. He moved towards the wide corridor in front of him. As he walked forward, the sound of water moving came to his ears, growing louder with each step. Stepping into a roughly oval spot, he saw that about ten feet below him, was a channel where water flowed. The clean, blue color was pleasant to look at it. And caught up he was when the first shots struck nearby. Not seeing the attacker, he cast about until his eyes found them, about two hundred yards away.

Two more Tuskens, and both were firing. Kyle managed to activate his shield just as a shot struck his middle. The impact was not terribly painful, but it backed him up a step. He tried to reach for his blaster, but three more shots hit in quick succession. The shield display began to flash red, its energy level being depleted. Forced back another step, then another, his foot went back once more and met air. Looking over his shoulder, Kyle saw that he was right at the edge of the channel. Another shot hit and with a cry, he fell.

Something in his mind spoke quickly and fiercely, telling him to turn over. Doing so, he saw the water, getting closer by the second. Instinctively, his years of swimming experience coming into play, Kyle tucked his head into his chest and extended his arms out in front, using his hands to form an arrowhead shape.

When the impact came, his hands cut into the water, opening up a space that grew wider until the whole of his body plunged into the channel. Unsure of the depth of the channel, he angled his body so that he curved out of his dive and rose above the bottom of the channel. It took another few seconds before his head breached the surface.

Automatically taking a breath, he shook his head to clear the water from his eyes and discovered that he was moving, a slight current to the water pulling him along. With a modest bump, his back touched the far wall of the channel, where the path narrowed and a metal grate prevented him from progressing any further. He soon discovered this spot had the additional advantage of being underneath an overhang of permacrete, casting him into shadow. Taking a moment to catch his breath, Kyle smiled somewhat nervously.

_Well, that was fun._

A new sound reached his ears, the sound of weapons firing. Looking ahead, he saw where the two Tuskens were shooting down into the water, the surface of it a cacophony of splashes. Apparently, they thought he was still there and were determined to finish the job.

Reaching down, Kyle felt for and found his belt. To his relief, the lightsaber and his blaster were still there, along with the two remaining thermal detonators. Looking up at where the Tuskens were still firing into the water, he considered what to do next.

_This angle's no good. No way I can get a bead on them._

He waited for another five minutes as the Tuskens finally exhausted their weapons. They looked down into the water.

_Probably waiting to see the body._

But after more minutes had passed, the aliens seemed to give up. One hooted to the other, who nodded.

They turned away from the channel, moving out of sight. Kyle waited a bit longer, examining the channel to figure out where to go next. The path behind him was blocked, but only a few hundred yards away was a D-shaped pipe where water was pouring out of.

_If I can get over there, I can see if it's usable or not._

Taking some deep breaths, he pushed off the wall and dived under the water. The current provided some resistance, but not enough to keep him from reaching the area under the D-shaped pipe. He looked up at it, the water seeming to deform the pipe. A message from his lungs brought him to the surface underneath the pipe, reaching out to grasp it in both hands. Moving hand over hand, Kyle guided himself until he was at the mouth of the pipe. The stream of water coming from it pushed at him, but was not strong enough to break his grip.

He levered himself up and around until he could see inside the mouth of the pipe. The sound of water moving and sloshing filled the space. When minutes had passed with no changes, Kyle felt satisfied and with a kick of his legs and pulling with his arms, he entered the pipe. The water inside was not deep, but moving fast enough to necessitate a constant resistance against the flow in order not to pushed right back out. He swam upstream against the current until he reached a spot where three concrete pillars were sticking up out of water.

Swimming closer, he lurched ahead and reached a hand out, feeling the rough grit of the permacrete. Securing his hold, he pulled himself forward. That's when he noticed a small pool just beyond the pillars along with two other opening where water was flowing into. Pulling himself between the pillars, Kyle felt the steady current slacken, making forward movement easier. He stepped into the pool, finding it to be only a few feet deep and calm enough for him to walk through it. Over his head arched an overhang, casting a bit of shadow into the space.

Suddenly, something to whisper in his mind that there was danger here. Pausing, he looked around, right hand already moving towards his blaster as the water next to him erupted as a blaster bolt sizzled into it. The explosion of water hit, knocking him off balance. He fell onto the floor of the pool, water splashing around him, somewhat lessening the impact. He shook his head and wiped at his eyes furiously; trying to clear them, to see where the attacker was that had shot at him.

The water erupted again, another curtain splashing into him. And in the midst of the echoing splashes, he heard the high pitched voice of a Rodian. He turned, trying to find the attacker, but the splashing water made it nearly impossible to see.

_I've got to do something. It's going to get my range soon._

His mind raced furiously as he searched for an answer, trying to figure out what he could do. Another explosion of water, this one close enough that Kyle felt the heat of the laser blast where it struck.

_The next one is going to hit me unless I do something._

Despite the near panic in his mind, Kyle heard a new sound, like a voice calling to him. No, not a voice, he realized, more like… a feeling, a feeling that he needed to relax, to clear his mind. Years of combat training rebelled against the thought, commanding him to act.

But somehow he was able to ignore the urge to just start shooting blindly. Instead, he listened, a warm sensation growing in his mind and body. He began to relax as the feeling washed over him. Even as another geyser erupted next to him, he didn't react to it. In his mind an image was forming.

It was cloudy at first, but as he focused on it, all the while reminding himself not to force it, the image grew clearer. As it did, Kyle realized he was looking at the very space he was in now, the geyser of water that had just erupted; he also saw himself, half sitting, half lying in the central pool. And most important of all, he saw the attackers.

It turned out to be a pair of Rodians. One stood atop the permacrete roof Kyle had just passed under, while the other was firing from farther up the tunnel, standing on a low wall. Now that he knew where they were, his mind began to formulate an attack plan. Had they been closer, he would have considered using the lightsaber, but decided the blaster would work better.

Part of Kyle's conscious mind marveled at this ability to stay calm, to stay focused even as a shot struck near his back. Normally, he would have been shooting at anything and everything by now. But for the moment, he felt in control.

_This is how it feels to use the Force, _he thought.

Reaching into the water, Kyle felt along his belt until his fingers touched the grip of the blaster. He pulled it out of the holster, forefinger hovering over the trigger, waiting for the opportunity. Combat instincts combined with the mental vision helped him to figure where to fire the blaster at. And as yet another geyser of water erupted nearby; Kyle brought his arm up swiftly, all but exploding out of the water.

His finger tightened on the trigger as soon as the blaster's muzzle was clear. To the Rodian atop the permacrete roof, it was if the laser fire had erupted from the water itself. The alien managed a squawk as crimson bolts struck, and then it fell into the water right near the mouth of the tunnel Kyle had just come from.

The current grabbed the body and pulled it downstream and away. Rolling to his left and onto his feet, Kyle fired at the second attacker, who gave a high pitched scream as it was hit.

The water around him settled to its normally placid state after a few minutes. Clearing his eyes once again and raking his fingers through his hair trying brushing the water out of it, Kyle finally decided to give up. He was completely soaked.

_Not exactly the picture of a potential Jedi, am I?_

Smiling to himself, Kyle located the tunnel that the one Rodian had attacked him from. Moving past the crumpled body, he started up the path, which rose at an angle. He noticed that this shaft was completely dry, not a drop of water anywhere, except for what was dripping off of him.

The shaft was also growing dim, its overhead roof not allowing sunlight to enter. Time passed as the incline eventually became a level path as well as increasingly dim. Fortunately, Kyle's eyes had adjusted and he could enough to tell that there was an opening in the wall to his left about six feet ahead.

He also heard footsteps.

Slowing his steady walk to a crawl, Kyle listened intently before taking a few more steps, then stopping to listen again.

_There's definitely somebody up there, _he decided, _and they're probably not friendly. _

He drew closer to the opening in the wall, his blaster out and ready, looking for any sign of movement, but there was none. He stepped through the opening, finding a dimly lit space with a channel in the middle of it where water was running rapidly. To his left, the path of permacrete continued a short ways, before disappearing into the darkness. Moving forward carefully, Kyle saw the in actuality, the channel took a dramatic downward slant before going completely vertical.

Suddenly, out of the gloom came the loud cry of a Tusken, followed a combination of red and green streaks of energy. Somehow, Kyle crouched low enough that the incoming fire shot over his head, striking the wall behind. His eyes detected movement and from the darkness appeared two of the aliens, moving up the sides of the channel towards him.

Kyle lifted his blaster and fired, catching one full in the chest. It fell to the floor of the channel, a final cry escaping its mouth. Shifting his aim, Kyle managed to get of a shot at nearly the exact moment the other Tusken fired. Blaster fire crisscrossed in air, hitting both beings. Kyle's shots took care of his attacker, but the return fire overloaded his weakened shield, allowing one bolt to strike his left leg.

His scream echoed in the space as the laser beam tore through the material of his pants, slicing open the flesh of his calf. It also sent him tumbling forward and into the water. Finding himself completely submerged, Kyle helplessly tumbled along as the angled shaft became vertical, the ride continuing until his hands met a metal grate. Forcing his eyes open against the pain he felt, he saw the grate was covering the whole of the shaft, preventing any further progress. New pain flared in his throat and chest.

He needed air, soon.

Underwater like this, the blaster was no good and the detonators would take him out along with the grate. Mind racing with desperation, he reached for the lightsaber.

_Let's hope this thing works underwater. _

He mashed the activation stud, feeling a moment of relief as the brilliant green beam materialized. His chest heaved suddenly, throat working, trying to get him to take a breath. His vision began to tunnel. Moving as best he could under the water rushing past him and resisting his every move, Kyle managed to get the lightsaber blade close enough to the grate to touch him. It sliced through with ease. Shifting his grip, he brought the blade up towards the corner of the grate.

In a split second, the grate was gone and he was rocketing forward through the water once again, having just enough presence of mind to deactivate the saber. His headlong fall through the water continued for several seconds, and then he seemed to level out although he was still rushing forward.

Now it became a contest to see which hurt worse, his legs or his throat and chest. Kyle knew he needed to get out of the water in the next few seconds or he never would. Suddenly, the current around him shifted, feeling as if it was turning to the right. However, his headlong progress continued. It seemed that his mission was going to end right here. But just as his eyes were closing for the last time; he felt his hands touch permacrete.

Survival instincts kicked in, fingers grabbing for purchase on the rough surface. Fortunately, the last of his momentum carried his body partly on to the exposed part of the channel. Kyle's mouth opened as he took a gasping breath, lungs expanding to fill themselves. The exhalation came almost grudgingly. He took a second breath, then another, then another. Gradually, his mind went from demanding oxygen to informing him he was on dry land or at least the equivalent of it.

His eyes, which had drifted closed, opened to see the brownish slab he was lying on. His other senses began to send in messages, registering the sound of water flowing quickly and loudly, the sound echoing all around him. He felt a pulling sensation at his legs and reflexively drew them up, crying out as air touched his wound. He lay there for several minutes, doing his best to deal with the pain. When at last he felt he could move safely, he pushed up onto his elbows and looked around.

He was in another channel; albeit far larger than the others he had seen up to this point. Water raced past him, moving down the shaft until it disappeared out of sight. Kyle could only wonder where the end of it was, and hoped very strongly to never find out. Just then, the sound of metal on rock reached his ears. Looking, he saw his right hand was still holding the lightsaber. Somehow, he had managed to keep a hold of it after cutting through the grate.

Setting it down on part of the slab, he used both hands to pull himself up higher and slowly turn over. The wound in his calf protested every inch of movement and try as he might, Kyle couldn't hold back his cries of pain.

When he had managed to get himself high enough on the slab to not worry about falling back into the water, he began to take stock of himself and his wares. His shield was dead, the power display dark. The thermal detonators and bowcaster were both gone, although his blaster was still sitting in its holster.

_And there's the leg wound_.

It concerned him most of all. He wasn't sure how bad it was or if he'd be able to walk on it. If he couldn't…

_Okay, Katarn, don't think like that. You don't know for sure. Think positive._

He decided he needed to check the wound and assess it condition. Sitting up, Kyle drew the lower part of his left leg in towards himself, lifting the pant leg to expose the skin, moving slowly so as not to aggravate the wound further. What appeared was a ragged hole about an inch long with blood trickling from it. His gorge rose at seeing the inside of his leg and he finally had to look away. More minutes passed before he was able to look again and while the wound looked ugly, it didn't keep him from being able to move the limb.

_Maybe, just maybe._

Going to his belt, Kyle pulled out the small medkit he carried. Inside he found bandages, a spray medication and other items to treat a blaster wound.

First, he tried the spray, which was supposed to clot the wound and prevent him from losing too much blood, as well as providing an agent to block the pain. Moving the bottle until it was close, he pressed the trigger, a fine mist issuing from the bottle. Kyle moaned in pain as the substance first touched the wound. But the sensation, while intense, went away after a few seconds. A white sheen appeared on one edge of the wound as the medicine went to work. He continued to spray until the entire surface was covered the same.

Returning the nearly empty bottle to the kit, Kyle extracted a long bandage. Placing one end atop his calf and holding it in place with his right hand, he used his left to curl the material around his leg. When it touched the surface of the wound, there was fresh surge of pain. Enduring it, he continued to wrap the bandage around his leg until it was swathed in the material. Retrieving a clasp from the medkit, he pinned the bandage in place so it wouldn't come loose.

With that done, Kyle let himself have a break, looking around the space he was in, trying to figure out what to do next. When several minutes had passed without a solution presenting itself, he decided to see if the leg was going to work or not. Scooting himself backwards until he was up against the wall of the shaft, Kyle used his hands and arms, along with his right leg to rise onto his feet (so to speak). Balanced somewhat precariously against the wall of the shaft, he lowered his left leg experimentally until the toe of his boot touched the touched. He settled back onto the heel, settling his weight onto the leg.

It wavered, nearly spilling him to the ground once again, fresh pain shooting up from the wound. However, the amount of pain was less, the medicine doing its job. Recovering, Kyle tried again and found this time, that the leg supported him. He tried a few steps and found himself able to walk. He breathed a sigh of relief.

_Now I just have to find a way out of here. _

After stowing the medkit and returning the lightsaber to his belt, Kyle began to move "up" the shaft from where he was. As he walked, he noticed the shaft had a curve to it, explaining why he hadn't seen more of it earlier. Continuing, he found a shaft other than the two he had seen already. It had a slight incline to it, but as Kyle strained his eyes, he saw a sliver of daylight.

_That's it! _

Feeling excited and somewhat rejuvenated, he proceeded up the incline, using the wall for additional support so as not to overburden his wounded leg. Nearing the top of the shaft, he saw where it narrowed to an opening where water flowed from. If he wanted to go any further, he was going to have to get back in the water and fight the current to get to a landing that looked to be about six feet away.

He was about to try stepping into the water when a blaster bolt pinged of the wall almost right next to his head. Unlike before, Kyle had no problem finding the location of the attackers. Standing there, at the edge of the landing he wanted to get to were two Tuskens. Kyle flattened himself against the far wall of the shaft as more blaster fire shot past him. Relatively safe for the moment, his position did have the disadvantage of not providing him a place to return fire. If he was going to take out these two, he was going to have to get into the line of fire.

The question was, how?

The fire from the Tuskens didn't seem to slacking even a little bit. No matter how he looked at it, there was no way to launch an attack before the Tuskens would cut him down.

**The saber, Kyle.**

He heard Rahn speak inside his mind. But something seemed wrong. While he could hear the man's voice, it was faint, as if coming from far away.

**The saber, **Rahn said again and then Kyle had the sensation that the old Jedi was gone somehow. Still, the words echoed in his mind. Pulling the saber free from his belt, Kyle stared at it, considering what Rahn had said.

_The beam _is _pure energy, _he thought, _and it _did_ deflect the bolts from those drones. _

It seemed possible, but also very risky. If it didn't work, or he couldn't do it right…

Kyle didn't finish the thought. There was no choice. He _had _to do this. And in order to do it without getting killed, he was going to need help.

Even as the blaster fire continued to spang and splatter, creating a cacophony that echoed in the shaft, Kyle closed his eyes and concentrated. He focused on a single thought.

_I have to do this_.

It was difficult to describe exactly what happened. For one moment, it was just him, the regular Kyle Katarn and the next, he felt as if he was being filled, like a battery being charged.

The saber ignited with a _snap-hiss_, the green blade illuminating the space in front of him. He stood there as the constant blaster fire began to slacken, finally stopping entirely.

_They're reloading. I can do this_.

And then, with three quick, precise steps, Kyle stepped into the line of fire. He saw the two Tuskens and heard them cry out, perhaps in victory, at seeing their target emerge. They finished reloading their weapons and within seconds, the first crimson bolts leapt from their weapons.

Kyle watched them come.

_There!_

He moved the saber just over and to the right of his head. A loud ping sound was heard as the blaster shot was deflected away, expending itself in the ceiling. Kyle quickly shifted the blade, moving it in front of his right leg, deflecting the next bolt. Shifting weight to that foot, he swung the saber up in front of his chest, deflecting two more shots. Down towards his stomach to deflect another, up by his face for two more, directly in front of him for a succession of three blasts.

Though he knew he was doing this, could feel his body his moving, could feel the metal of the lightsaber hilt in his hands, hear the hum of the blade as it cut the air and the sound as shot after shot was deflected away, Kyle felt… almost detached, as if he were watching himself.

_Is this really me?_

It didn't seem possible. Each blaster bolt was moving at the speed of light, crossing the gulf between himself and his attackers in less than a second. It shouldn't be possible for him to track the bolts, much less deflect them.

And yet, somehow, he was doing it.

As the blade hummed and Kyle deflected more shots, he wondered if he might employ this technique to his advantage. He searched for the answer and a moment later, found it. A smile came to his face as he subtly changed the angle of the saber blade. When the next shot hit it and was deflected, it arced away from Kyle and back towards the Tuskens, just barely missing them.

One of the aliens squawked in surprise, calling something to the other, who responded by sending a rapid flurry of shots at Kyle. He deflected them all, sending the crimson streaks back the way they had come. Neither Tusken had a chance to react as their own blasts struck, killing both of them. As their bodies fell, Kyle lowered the saber, his thumb brushing the power stud, deactivating the weapon.

He realized he was breathing heavily and sweating. The full feeling had dissipated, leaving him feeling a bit diminished and as if he had just been through a workout. He allowed himself a break, sitting down on the floor of the shaft as he recovered his breath.

Over and over again he went over the battle in his mind, still not quite believing what had happened or what he had done. No normal human should have been able to do what he had done. And yet he _had_. Kyle found he was beginning to believe more and more of what Rahn had told him. If nothing else, he believed the Force was a real thing now.

_There's no way I'd be alive right now without it._

Minutes passed as Kyle allowed himself to rest, rising only when he nearly nodded off. Standing up, he tested his left leg again and found it still responsive and able to bear his weight. Stepping towards the water, he pushed off and dived, immediately turning himself in the direction of the current that was already threatening to cast him downstream. Surfacing, Kyle stroked as hard as he could, kicking with his legs. The current fought against him, but he slowly began to make progress. It took nearly five minutes before he found himself swimming next to the landing he had seen earlier.

As soon as he felt ready, Kyle pushed himself forward and out of the water. For a split second, it seemed he might not make it, but then his chest hit permacrete, driving the air from his lungs, but also telling him he had made it. Reaching ahead, he pulled the rest of his body out of the water until he was sitting on the landing. Looking to his right, he saw the bodies of the two Tuskens.

Leaning over, he took both of their weapons, using the power pack in one to recharge his blaster and the other for his shield, getting it up to 40%; not exactly great, but better than nothing. Getting his air back, Kyle looked ahead and saw another, bigger, landing a short distance away. Once he felt up to it, he moved back towards the water. The channel was narrower here, making the current faster, but as Kyle placed his legs into the water; his feet touched the bottom, and he discovered this part of the channel was shallow, allowing him to walk forward, albeit slowly, till he reached the other landing.

Once there, he expected to find another path or channel so it caught him quite by surprise when the landing ended and beyond was a long drop. He stood there a long time, feeling dumbfounded, then frustrated, then furious. He pounded the wall with a fast.

"Blast it! This isn't fair!"

He raged like this for a number of minutes, cursing his luck, the mission and anything else he could think of. Finally, when his frustration and anger had spent itself, he sat down on the landing, feeling even more frustrated. It was just wasn't fair, he said over and over again in his mind, to have come all this way and now, to have nowhere to go.

But as he continued to fume to himself, Kyle began to hear something he hadn't noticed earlier. Concentrating, he focused on the sound, identifying it a moment later as the swish and splashing of running water. Approaching the edge of the landing once again, he looked straight down, a smile coming to his face. There, several meters below, was another channel.

_I should've known, _he thought, feeling a little embarrassed at his earlier angry display.

However, there was one problem with this new water channel, the distance between it and him. The distance was far too great to safely jump. A check of the landing showed him it didn't extend far enough down to be of any use to him. Frustration began to creep back into his mind.

_It's just like the Nar Shaddaa mission. If only I had…_

As the thought went unfinished, Kyle reached for the back of his belt. His hand touched something, something familiar. Pulling it free and bringing it into view, he let out a whoop of joy. There in his hands was the grapnel he had used on Nar Shaddaa. He hadn't remembered packing it.

Stepping back from the edge of the landing, Kyle pressed the activation stud. With a "crack" sound and breath of compressed air, the grapnels' hook shot from the device, striking the surface of the landing. A whirr rose from the tines as they drilled into the permacrete, securing themselves. When the whirring sound ended, Kyle gave the grapnel a few experimental pulls, making sure the hook was secure.

_Okay, _he thought, smiling, _here we go._

Moving to the edge of the landing, Kyle lowered himself over, then just as he had done on Nar Shaddaa, slipped his hands into the grapnel's handholds. His body swung briefly as the grapnel bore his weight, then the motor inside began to whine as it lowered him down.

It took a little over a minute to reach the small landing next to the lower water channel. A sigh of relief escaped Kyle's lips as his feet touched the permacrete. Once he was standing firmly on the landing, he pressed the button to retract the hook from the permacrete. Carefully, he retracted the line until the hook plunged over the side of the upper landing and down towards him. And just as before, Kyle braced himself for the shock as the line went taught when the hook flashed past him and out of sight. Another minute was needed to fully retract and stow the hook. He stared at the mechanism for a long moment.

"Thank you," he said, before returning the device to his belt.

Turning to face the channel, Kyle saw that it proceeded at about a 35 degree down angle. Stepping as close as he dared, he peered around the edge of the wall, watching as the channel moved down and out of sight. Watching the movement of the water, Kyle realized he had little choice here.

_I just hope there's a soft landing on the other end. _

And with that, he lowered his legs into the rapidly moving water, the current nearly yanking the rest of him in. Holding the rest of his body out of the water for another few moments, Kyle took some deep breaths and let go. The current grabbed, pulling him into the channel. Down he went, accelerating until he was moving almost faster than the water. The channel made two turns to the right, and he with it. As his headlong dash continued, a strange thought entered Kyle's mind.

_If I was anywhere else, this might actually be fun._

Though he had never actually been on a water slide, Kyle had read about them as a boy and dreamed of someday trying one. And now, sliding through this water channel, not knowing where it'd end up and despite it being so dark he couldn't see where he was going, that boy resurfaced. He whooped and yelled, particularly when the channel downward angle increased suddenly. And then, all of a sudden, the darkness ended.

Sunlight stabbed down, lancing into Kyle's eyes. Squeezing them shut, he was wondering where he had ended up when the sound of a large splash reached his ears, water surging up and over him. His body decelerated as the water resisted him. With his eyes adjusted to the light now, Kyle realized he had landed in some kind of pool or maybe a tank. The sunlight from above dappled the water, giving him a mottled view of Sulon's sky.

Realizing that he was sinking, he turned over and began to swim, pushing his body to the surface. When his head breached, Kyle sucked in a grateful breath, wiping the water from his eyes. Just then, he heard the unwelcome of a Tusken war cry.

_Oh Sithspit!_

He looked around for the alien, but saw only the surface of the water and the edge of the tank he was in. A blaster shot struck the water nearby, sending a cascade into the air. Kyle turned in the water, looking for the source of the shot. Another blast hit close by, sending water splashing into his face. Shaking his head, he wiped at his eyes and looked again.

_There!_

About six feet away, standing near the place where he had exited the channel was a Tusken. It waved the blaster it held over its head before firing another shot. Kyle ducked under the water a split second before the blast struck the space right in front of him.

_I just can't get away from these guys!_

Diving under the water, he swam away from the spot he had been in case the Tusken fired again. Surfacing for air, Kyle found himself on the far side of the tank. The Tusken spotted him and fired, but he was already under the water again, swimming to a place. Looking up through the water, Kyle strained to catch a view of the Tusken through the dappled surface.

He surfaced for another breath, and then dived back. Looking around, he saw the side of the tank close to where he exited the channel. The Tusken was above and in front of him. Drawing his blaster, Kyle checked that it was ready before kicking towards the surface as hard he could. Surfacing, he raised the weapon and fired in what he hoped was the right direction, getting off four shots before falling back into the water.

Sinking down a ways, Kyle looked up, trying to see if he had hit his target. Suddenly, the water above erupted as something fell into it. It took only a few seconds to confirm that it was the Tusken. Breaking for the surface, Kyle swam to where the water channel poured its contents into the tank. Finding a handhold, he floated there, recovering his breath.

_What a ride, _he mused, _and then this. _

Tiredness seemed to close on him like a hand. Letting go of the handhold, Kyle turned to float on his back, staring up at the sky. The water buoyed him, enclosing him like a soft blanket. The thought crossed his mind to not move from this spot, to wait here until he received a signal from Jan and then guiding her to pick him up here. It also occurred to him how irresponsible it would be.

But for a moment, Kyle didn't care. Floating like this was comforting, he couldn't even feel the slightest hint of pain from the wound in his left leg. Closing his eyes, enjoying the sensations, Kyle imagined the _Moldy Crow_ flying in, the cockpit opening to reveal Jan scowling down at him.

"Having fun, Katarn?" she'd say.

And he'd reply that yes, he was very comfortable, but if she insisted… And of course Jan would make a comment about him being dripping wet and getting on board "her" ship.

Kyle chuckled at the thought of this, continuing to float on the surface of the water, turning this way and that, the sky over him appearing to rotate. The temptation to remain there, floating comfortably; was very strong.


	10. Chapter 10: Choice of Destiny

**Kyle Katarn: The Rise & Fall **

**Book 2: Birth of a Jedi**

**Chapter 10: Choice of Destiny

* * *

**

A/N: And there! Whew! Was worried I might not finish this in time! Had a bit 'o struggle over a scene in this chapter and thought I might not have it done before Friday. But God has smiled on me once again and provided the words for me to write and for you to read. The Sulon mission comes to an end, but not before some more battles and a scene that hints at things to come later. Hope you enjoy it all! Let's do them shout outs!

Nerwen Aldarion: Yeah, a late posting, but a posting nonetheless. I really felt the need to explore Kyle learning to use the saber as well as the Force. It's not like he'd instantly know, although that's the way it seems to go in the game. I kind of imagine Rahn as Kyle's Ben Kenobi, but a bit more aggressive. As far as Jerec's perspective… no, I won't spoil it. You'll see. Yeah, in official Star Wars canon, lightsabers don't work underwater, but hey my story, my world, my rules. Yeah, it's a shame to not have Jan here. It would have been a lot of fun. But she's gonna make an appearance next chapter. There's still the story of her mission to tell.

Tinuviel Undomiel: Would she ever! I may have to find a place for a scene like that later on. Yeah, Kyle with a braid definitely doesn't work for me either. I basically decided that Wee Gee is unique enough and because he met Rahn before, that created a connection between the two, which is why he can see him. Not exactly the strongest of plot threads, but what the heck! I'm debating about when and how Jan will find out about Kyle being a Jedi, particularly when you consider how Kyle will explain it. "Hey, Jan guess what, I'm a Jedi" doesn't exactly work. I'll figure it out in time.

Mach Farcon: Yeah, the previous chapter was not my best effort. I was worried it was weak when I posted it. I think I got too mired in the mission from the game. Oh well, hope this one's better.

Tig94: Yeah, Wee Gee is a lot of fun to write since he's never really been explored as a character. Kyle meet Lando? I dunno, have to think 'bout that one. Hey, I agree with you about the powers, Dark Side has all the cool ones, Force Lightning and Force Choke. Light Side has Force Heal. Not exactly a fair comparison, but I hate "weak" powers, I want badass ones!

A/N: It's been said already, but Chapter 9 was a bit weak and prob'ly not my best effort. Writing game scenes is a real pain and I think I tried to force the scenes too much, hence the spelling and grammar screwups. This chapter feels better to me. But y'all are the litmus test, so let me know.

Last time, Kyle had been through firefight after firefight and soaking after soaking, ending up in a water tank where he now floats, the pain from his wound reduced considerably and feeling very comfortable at the moment. He's tempted to stay there for pick up. But will he? Read on and see!

* * *

_No, _he decided, _this place is won't work, no matter how good it feels._

Doing his best to ignore the temptation, Kyle seriously considered what it would mean to remain floating in the tank. First off, he was completely vulnerable. Sure, he had defeated the one attacker. But if more showed up, say a half dozen or so, all firing into the water; he'd either be shot or drown. Second, the lapping water and his relaxed state would interfere with detecting the approach of an enemy. And third, an old lesson from his Academy, a relaxed warrior is a dead warrior.

Still, it was with some reluctance that Kyle turned over in the water and swam to the edge of the tank. Moving around the perimeter, he finally found a secondary channel designed to keep the tank from overflowing. Reaching up, Kyle pulled himself out of the tank; water sloughing off him. Stepping into the channel, he felt sudden and intense flash of fear. Not only was the space quite narrow, but on either side was a least a fifty foot drop.

Moving slowly and carefully, Kyle made his way across the narrow channel to the other side where he found another tank. However, this one was empty and the drop to its bottom was at least twenty feet, too far to jump. Pulling the grapnel off his belt, Kyle fired the hook into the permacrete of the channel before using the mechanism to lower himself to the bottom of the dry tank. Moving across the surface, he found an opening in the wall leading to another dry channel. Stepping through the opening, Kyle started down the slight decline, being careful where he placed his feet as there were drops of at over ten feet on either side.

_I swear, if I ever meet the designer of this place…_

Moving around a right hand bend, the sound of beating wings reached Kyle's ears. The feeling of sudden danger came again and in response, he ducked down just as a Mailoc shot over his head, its stinger just missing him. The avian screeched loudly as it worked to turn itself around. Rising to his feet, Kyle pulled out his blaster.

"Not this time," he said, blasting the creature.

He proceeded down the channel, encountering six more Mailocs along the way. By the time he reached the bottom of the channel, Kyle found himself growing sick of the creatures, particularly after having to step over the corpses of two of them. Negoiating an unusual and unnecessary part of the path, he soon found himself in yet another channel, this one filled water running along at a fair clip. Allowing the current to carry him along, he entered a darkened section where the channel suddenly ended and Kyle found himself unceremoniously dropped into another, fast moving one.

As he moved along with the water, a circle of light appeared in the distance, growing closer and larger by the second. Shielding his eyes, Kyle felt a gust of wind touch his face and felt sure that he had emerged into an open part of the channel. Lowering his hand and squinting against the bright light, he saw the sky above, confirming what his mind had told him. He also became aware of three Tuskens standing to either side of the channel just as the loud cries indicated they had see him as well. Unfortunately for the attackers, the current had picked up speed and Kyle passed by too quickly for any of them to properly aim a weapon. A few stray shots flew past, but none came close.

Kyle's bye-bye wave at the aliens added insult to injury. Suddenly, the channel dropped down at angle before a dog leg turn to the left, then two right turns. And then, to Kyle's horror, the channel suddenly ended, the water dropped away from him and he began to fall. Shock and panic gripped his heart and he nearly screamed in terror. But then his eyes spotted the water several feet below him, growing closer every second. Working to calm himself, Kyle realized that an impact against the water from the height he was would be crippling at best, fatal at worst. Unless he did something.

Turning over as he fell, head below his feet, he made a fist with his right hand, extending it out in front of his body, while pulling his head into his chest and legs together.

Six seconds later, he hit.

Feeling as if every bone in right hand was broken, Kyle forced himself to endure the pain, not responding to the impulse to yell. His head plunged in, the impact like a hand thumping against his skull and then, his whole body was in, rocketing down until the mass of the water slowed his progress to a crawl.

Opening his tightly closed eyes, Kyle saw he was floating in a tank much larger than the one he had been in earlier. A curved wall was visible, bordering a larger central shaft that went down several more feet. A sudden feeling of pressure in his chest brought the observations to an end for the moment as he swam upwards, breaking the surface of the water just as the feeling of pressure grew more intense. Drawing in a grateful breath, he began to tread water, turning this way and that as he took in the enormity of the space he was in.

An unbroken line of gray and white permacrete soared overhead, forming a curved wall that bordered the space. Kicking his legs, Kyle began to swim along the outer wall, passing under the place he had fallen from. Pain began to radiate from his left leg, so he held that one still, using the other and his arms to guide his path. Moving around the circumference of the large tank, Kyle spotted an opening only a short distance away. He swam towards it, finding a set of what looked like steps leading underwater. Unsure of why they were there, but not really caring, Kyle climbed up, finding himself in yet another channel, similar to the one that had dropped him into the tank.

And sure enough as he moved up the path, more Tuskens appeared, this time a group of four. But positioned as they were, the alien had to fire down at him at an awkward angle, spoiling most of their shots. Kyle, on the other hand, had a nearly perfect angle as he opened up with the blaster, nailing of two of them right away. Surprisingly, the remaining stepped up into nearly the same spots as their comrades and a few seconds later, joined them.

With his forward progress unimpeded, Kyle moved up the channel, noticing that it was beginning to shallow. By the time he reached the space where the bodies of the Tusken lay, the water barely covered the tops of his boots. Stepping onto one of the permacrete landings on either side of the channel, he collected the Tuskens' weapons, using the power packs to recharge his blaster to full and getting the shield up to 80% power. He also found a belt of thermal detonators next to one of the Tuskens. An evil grin came to Kyle's face as he attached them to his own belt.

That done, he looked around and saw where the channel disappeared into an opening not unlike the one he had been in earlier. Moving to stand near the opening, he noticed a series of gates that separated the water in the channel he had just been in from one that was before him. It ran level for a short distance, then angled down sharply. Moving to the top of the decline, Kyle spotted another group of Tuskens below where the channel ran level for a bit more before angling down a second time. And for some reason, the aliens were looking that way and didn't hear his approach.

The evil grin appearing on his face again, Kyle retrieved two of the five detonators he had. Arming the devices for five seconds each, he placed one at the edge of the incline where he was and very gently sent it rolling down. As the silvery orb rolled and bounced down the channel, he aimed and threw the second one at the other side. It hit about midway and began to roll down.

Hearing the noise, the Tuskens turned around, spotting Kyle. One raised its weapon over its head in a defiant gesture as the others worked to aim theirs. None of them thought to look for the detonators until the devices went off, the explosion echoing loudly in the confined space. Kyle's grin was frozen in place as all three aliens were blown into the air. When they came down, it was into the water, the splashing sounds echoing up the shaft as the water drag them down.

Waiting until the space was relatively quiet again, Kyle considered how to take on this latest channel. Although unsure of where he end up, the top of the channel was too exposed to provide a margin of safety. Also, this channel looked it would be fun ride. A mischevious grin replaced the evil one as Kyle moved to the top of the channel. Sitting down in the water, he inched himself forward until the current caught him. Down he went, accelerating as he whooped and hollered. When the shaft flattened, then angle down again, he was airborne for a few seconds, the sensation sending waves of adrenaline surging through his body. Looking ahead, he saw that the end was coming fast and with a strong impact, he splashed into a large pool.

But any exhultation was quickly replaced with fear as Kyle felt the water tugging at him, pulling him forward. Raising his head above the water, he saw that the pool continued on for dozens of feet, then suddenly disappeared in the distance. Turning over onto his stomach, he he struck out, arms pulling and legs kicking, ignoring the pain from his left leg. For a moment, it seemed the current would win as he continued to move forward.

Then, as quickly as it had come, the pulling sensation dissipated. Not willing to take a chance, Kyle continued to swim hard until his hands smacked into a rough surface. Looking up, he saw he was touching a ramp made of permacrete. It angled upwards slightly and was discolored by the water to a degree, but as Kyle found, it was also solid. Pulling with arms and pushing with legs, he managed to get the rest of his body out of the water and onto the ramp.

He lay there for a while, getting his breath back and letting the shock of the moment pass over him. A roaring sound caused him to turn over, his eyes widening at what they saw. Perhaps ten feet from where was, the pool ended, the water plunging down and out of sight. Kyle could only wonder how far it fell much less where it ended up.

_And I was almost…_

A shudder passed through him. More minutes passed as he let his body have a brief rest, rising only when he felt the fingers of sleep touch his mind. Moving up the ramp, he found a metal corridor that moved off to the left. He had just taken a step in that direction when his left leg buckled , nearly spilling him to the floor. Quickly shifting his weight to the other leg, Kyle reached out, placing a hand on the wall as he worked to steady himself. He tried stretching the leg, but doing so began to hurt so much he stopped after the fifth one.

_I sure hope this doesn't mean what I think it means. _

In any case, he had to know. Moving carefully, Kyle tried putting weight on the wounded leg and to his surprise, found it responsive and supporting. But he was far from happy about it. What had just happened had been a warning. The medicine and bandages were, at best, a stopgap measure. He was going to have to find an exit soon before he was unable to walk at all. Moving down the corridor, Kyle began to negotiate a left turn when a Tusken sprang into view, calling something loudly. Normally Kyle would have jumped back, but his wounded leg wasn't up to such maneuvers.

The attacker's weapon was pointed right at him, so close it was nearly point blank range. Sitting in its holster, Kyle's blaster might as well have been a mile away. His draw wasn't particularly fast and he knew there was no way he could get to the weapon before the Tusken fired.

_If only I could get to my weapons, I'd…_

And then, something happened.

Some time later, Kyle would understand what had occurred, but at the moment, it was surreal. Time itself itself seemed to slow to a crawl, the Tusken's finger tightening on the trigger of its weapon with surprising slowness. And in that same moment, the lightsaber somehow flew off of Kyle's belt and into his hand. Somehow it ignited, the emerald beam flashing into existence. Somehow, his hand, no both his hand and arm were moving, arcing up and across, the energy blade slicing the attacker from waist to shoulder.

What remained of the body crumpled to the ground as time suddenly return to normal. Kyle stood there, dumbfounded, seeing the lightsaber clutched in his right hand, seeing what it had done to the Tusken. His logical mind fought to make sense of what had occurred. It seemed impossible. But in the end, he couldn't deny the truth. Somehow he had done this.

Standing there, transfixed as he was, Kyle tried calling to Rahn in his mind. Perhaps the old Jedi would understand what happened and be able to explain. But there was no answer to his call.

_C'mon Rahn! I need some help here!_

Silence was the only reply. Deciding that standing here, trying to communicate with the spirit of a dead person, was a waste of time, Kyle turned the saber off and reattached it to his belt before continuing his path down the corridor. He followed it through a right turn, noticing that about three hundred yards away, it widened out into an open space. He soon found himself in a large room where the floor just beyond where he stood sloped down on both sides to yet another channel filled with water.

Sighing, Kyle moved in that direction when the hooting and shouting of two Tuskens reached his ears. He cast about, but didn't see them. Just then, a voice seemed to whisper in his mind.

_Behind me!_

Without even realizing he was doing it, Kyle pulled the saber off his belt, igniting it even as he whirled around. A second later, he felt pressure as a series of blaster shots struck the lightsaber blade and were deflected. Shifting his right leg back, he used it to brace himself as the attackers fired again. Now he could see them, theTuskens standing in what looked like a theater box made of permacrete poised over the channel.

The aliens continued to hoot and holler as they pressed their attack. Reminding himself to remain calm, Kyle concentrated on a single thought once again, this time of defense. The feeling of being filled up came again, the sense of power. Down, up, across his body, over his head, he moved the saber gracefully, deflecting every shot that threatened to come near. Then, remembering what he had done before, a subtle change in the angle of the blade sent his attacker's shot arcing back towards them.

It took less than a half dozen more shots before both Tuskens fell. Kyle closed down the saber and returned it to his belt, then noticed the full feeling he had was still there, it hadn't gone away like before. And with it came a warning of danger. Unsure what the feeling meant, he gazed about the room until his eyes fell on the water. That's when he noticed them.

From the top, they appeared almost like puffy white clouds, innocuous. But the sense of danger grew as he moved down the slope towards the water. When he was as close as he could be without going into the water, Kyle saw the reason behind the feeling of danger. Unperturbed by a current, this water lay still and clear. And as such, it allowed him to see the body of the creature underneath the puffy white shape. Long, vicious looking tentacles dangled down. Kyle felt certain that if he got too close, he would find just how deadly they were.

"No problem", he muttered aloud, drawing out his blaster. Placing the sights in the middle of the creature's body visible above water, Kyle fired four shots into it. The tentacles under the water reacted violently with the impact of each shot, although no sound came from the creature. With the impact of the third shot, the roiling tentacles went limp and the puffy cloud shape sank beneath the water until it reached the bottom of the channel.

Still the danger sense remained. Looking up the channel, Kyle spotted two more of the puffy cloud shapes. Aiming carefully, he fired another series of shots, killing the second creature much as he had the first. The third, however, was too far away. Nodding to himself, Kyle holstered the blaster and slipped into the water. Without a current to resist him, he was able to move forward easily, stopping when he was about eight feet away from the creature.

Treading water, he held his blaster out of the water and fired. Tentacles jerked violently before going still as the creature sank. But still, the sense of danger was there, warning Kyle. Unsure of what it meant now that the creatures were dead, he swam forward, head on a swivel, casting about for more attackers.

He had just passed the body of the third creature when he heard the guttural speech of Tuskens. Treading water again, Kyle strained his eyes to see ahead of him, but there was no one visible.

Still, the speech of the Tuskens echoed loudly in the room. There was no doubt of their presence, it was just a matter of finding out where they were. Remembering the tank he had fallen into earlier, Kyle decided to try a similar tactic. Taking a deep breath, he sank beneath the water before swimming forward. The channel went on for another ten feet before ending in a dark gray permacrete wall. Nearing it, Kyle looked up through the water and there, standing on an inclined floor, were a pair of Tuskens.

Pulling his blaster free, Kyle let himself sink down in the water a bit more before kicking upwards with all his might, doing his best to ignore the pain in his left leg. All but exploding out of the water, he mashed the trigger, crimson bolts leaping from the blaster. Falling back into the water, he sank back down, waiting to see the results of his attack. Nearly a minute before the feeling of pressure in his chest told Kyle he needed to surface soon.

Readying himself for a second attack, he kicked upwards again, but this time angled himself forward as well. As he came out of the water, the force of his arc sent the operative slamming down on the inclined floor in front of him. Pain flared in Kyle's chest as he hit, the air being driven from his body. Squinting against it, he held the trigger of the blaster down and swept it in front of him. A pained cry reached his ears, followed the sound of a body impacting the ground.

Turning on his side, Kyle allowed his demanding lungs to fill themselves even as pain echoed up and down his chest and stomach. Doing his best to ignore it, he pushed himself up with his free hand into a sitting position, shaking the water out of his eyes. When they cleared, he found that both Tuskens were down and out, their bodies lying crumpled on the ground. Waiting until the pain in his chest and stomach faded, Kyle retrieved the Tusken's of their weapons, charging his blaster back up to full power. With the shield also reading 100%, Kyle activated it. He also noticed the sense of danger was gone from his mind as was the full feeling. He missed it immediately. Granted, he wasn't sure if the power he felt was supposed to be his 24/7, but he liked the way it felt and wanted it to stay.

Finding another corridor at the top of the ramp, Kyle entered it, moving through a turn until he encountered a dead end. Backtracking, he found a lift. Stepping onto it, the mechanism activated automatically and he rose up to the floor. When the lift stopped, he moved down another corridor that, in time, brought him to another lift that took him down to the lower floor.

He entered a short corridor that brought him into a larger room where a large, dark-colored vehicle sat beside two red-colored drums. Beyond was a large door, presumably used to allow the vehicle access to the outside. The problem for Kyle, it was closed. And as he stepped into the room, two Tuskens attacked, shooting at him from behind the vehicle. About to take cover behind the drums, he quickly reconsidered as he recognized the symbol on one of them.

_These are fuel drums!_

That gave him an idea. As the attackers came out from the vehicle, brandishing their weapons, Kyle moved back in the direction of the corridor, then centering the sights of his blaster on the middle of one the drums, he fired. The explosion, when it came, was deafening. Burning pieces of the first barrel landed on the second, which exploded as well. Orange-white radiated out, scorching the floor and the vehicle, as well as incinerating both Tuskens. Kyle was knocked off his feet by the blast wave, falling to the floor, unable to contain a scream as his wounded leg struck the ground.

He lay there for several minutes until the pain receded enough for him to sit up. Glancing at the leg, Kyle spit out a curse. The white bandage was growing dark as fresh blood from the wound threatened to soak through.

_I'm in trouble._

When he was finally able to rise to his feet, Kyle had to clutch the near wall for support. His left leg was growing weak and he feared that if he tried to stand on it, it would collapse him to the ground. Plus, he still had the problem of finding an exit from the room. Looking round, Kyle spotted an opening in the wall on the far side. It took several minutes before he was able to hobble over there, finding that the opening was, in actuality, a large lift.

Stepping on it, Kyle felt a familiar feeling enter his mind once again. Nodding to himself, he found the controls, sending the lift to the upper level of the room. No sooner had he hobbled off and into the space than a Tusken appeared, brandishing a weapon. But as it looked at the wounded man, the alien began to make a sound like laughter.

Feeling a flash of anger, Kyle was tempted to give in. Instead, he smiled at the alien.

"So, I'm funny. Is that it?"

The Tusken continued to laugh.

"Then how 'bout this!" Kyle shouted, raising the blaster from where he had concealed it behind his back before getting off the lift.

The Tusken's laughter turned into a scream as it was pierced by multiple shots.

Kyle surveyed the room, finding little of interest at first. Tempted strongly to sit down and rest, he resisted and continued to search, finding a control similar to the one on the lift. Pressing a button on the panel, Kyle heard the sound of a mechanism engaging followed by another sound from somewhere below.

_I wonder if it could be…_

Moving back to the lift, he rode it down to the lower floor and when he stepped off, a smile came to his face. The large door beyond the still burning vehicle had risen, allowing a view of the biggest water channel Kyle had seen so far.

Still hobbling, he passed through the opening, finding himself on an inclined section of permacrete leading down to the water. A breeze touched him, the air seeming to caress him. Looking up at the open sky above him, Kyle decided he had found his spot. This place was large enough for the _Crow_ to fly into and should any other attackers come, he had a defensible position.

Reaching to his wrist, he activated his locator beacon, then sat back, his back against the permacrete, which proved to be warm, exposed to the sun as it was. Anywhere else it would have been relaxing, but was the last thing he needed to do right now.

_I've got to stay awake. There may not be any more Tuskens around, but I can' t chance it. _

But try as he might, the operative caught himself again and again nodding off. It was hard not to, given the ordeal he had been through. Still, he could not let himself sleep, it was just too dangerous.

Kyle was also becoming increasingly concerned about the blaster wound to his leg. Despite sitting there, barely moving, blood continued to flow from the wound. It had soaked through the bandage and was beginning to stain the permacrete underneath.

_I hope Wee Gee was able to get Jan. I need help._

He tried not to worry, confidently telling himself that his heart was creating more blood to replace what he was losing. But as time passed and the stain grew, his concern grew. The desire to sleep kept pressing at him. And despite the best of his resolve, Kyle found he could no longer resist.

* * *

**Local space around Planet Tatooine **

**Six Hours Later**

With the flicker of pseudomotion, the _Moldy _Crow roared out of hyperspace. The pilot banked the ship towards the planet, its riot of colors, brown, tan and white turning silently beneath him. Locating the spaceport, he asked for and received clearance, the controller asking the pilot to wait by his ship as he was expected.

Feeling a little confused, the pilot complied nonetheless, setting the ship down as sand and dirt swirled around the landing bay. No sooner had the engines been shut down than a man and what appeared to be a droid came towards the ship, the man gesturing.

Opening the canopy, the pilot started to climb down.

"Hold it! Hold it! Stop right there!"

Pausing in mid climb, the pilot turned to look over his shoulder.

"What's the problem?"

"Who are you?" the man asked.

"Who _are_ you?" the pilot replied.

A blaster suddenly appeared in the man's hand.

"Don't play games with me, boy. I've got enough worries without dealing with some wiseass stranger. Now tell your name or…"

The man raised the blaster threatingly, his meaning clear.

The pilot sighed, then told him, seeing a brief flash of recognition in the man's eyes. Then they grew hard again.

"Maybe you are, maybe you ain't. Tell me why you're here."

The pilot sighed again.

"I received a priority signal to come to this planet right away."

"And who sent ya that signal?"

"Someone named Wee Gee. Look, can we…"

"Talk later," the man said, "you need to get back in that… ship of yours and head out right away."

"And why is that?" the pilot asked, beginning to get irritated.

The man moved closer until inches separated the two. He hadn't lowered the blaster.

"Because my friend Kyle needs help. Now are you going, or do I blast you and head out myself?"

"Kyle Katarn?"

The man nodded.

"Well, why didn't you say so?"

Scrambling back into the cockpit, the pilot had the repulsors on line within seconds, the drive booming to life shortly after.

"What's my course?"

"Due north past the old Katarn place," the man said, lowering the blaster as he quickly described the ridge that the pilot would pass over before arriving at the farm , "Kyle said he'd have a locator signal going."

"Got it," the pilot said, lifting the ship a few feet off the ground before feeding power to the drives. With a thundering boom, the ship leapt forward, gaining ground and altitude by the second.

The man watched it go, then turned to the droid.

"Well, wasn't he a bit of rude fella. Could've at least asked me my name."

Wee Gee's beeped a strong retort.

"Oh shut up. You droids don't know nuthin' anyways."

* * *

**Cockpit of the **_**Moldy Crow **_

Despite the even temperature of the climate controlled cockpit, the pilot felt a bead of sweat make its way down his neck. Concern over what had happened to Kyle occupied his mind as he tried to coax a bit more power from the engines.

Grasslands and moisture farms slid underneath the racing ship as the pilot tuned the cockpit receiver to the frequency of Kyle's locator beacon. The device indicated it was functioning properly, but remained frustratingly silent.

_C'mon, Katarn, where are you? Gimme a sign here._

Minutes passed as the pilot scanned the view outside, looking for the ridge the man had describe to him. Deciding that the altitude might be too high, the pilot brought the ship lower until it was less than three hundred feet above the rolling landscape. The pilot gripped the controls, ready in case a high hill or rock formation appeared.

Then, in the distance, a new ridge appeared. As it drew closer, the pilot scanned it.

_That's it!_

Roaring overhead, the pilot also spotted the farm. It flashed underneath the ship.

_Now would be a good time, Kyle._

As if answering the silent plea, the electronic receiver beeped once, paused, the beeped a second time, paused for a bit longer, then began to emit a steady, strong series of beeps. Dialing down the volume, the pilot checked the incoming frequency, feeling a smile appear as the computer showed it was coming from Kyle.

The pilot pushed at the throttle, a futile gesture, but illustrating the desire to find the operative, to make sure he was all right.

* * *

Green grass, still glistening with morning dew. A soft, warm wind that ruffled his hair. A sky so perfectly blue without even a hint of a cloud to spoil it. He was home, the home he knew so well. His mind, usually crowded with plans and ideas was blissfully clear.

It was all just… perfect.

"So _this _is what you dream about. How pathetic."

Whirling around, Kyle spotted a black cloaked figure standing a short distance away. Though he couldn't see a face, he had a strong feeling he knew who it was.

"This happens to be my home," he said, a mixture of anger and defensiveness in his tone, "and last time I checked, it was yours too."

The black-cloaked figure responded to this with a derisive laugh.

"You have access to the ultimate power in the universe. Are you so limited as this? Have you no greater vision?"

"What do you mean?" Kyle asked.

In reply, the figure reached into its robes. A moment later, it held out a clear, plastic cube. But as Kyle watched, it began to fill with a mixture of black and purple smoke.

Anger was replaced by curiosity as the operative stepped closer.

"What is it?"

"This," said the figure, "is _my _vision for what can be. What you can be."

The roiling smoke now filled the cube. But after a few seconds, an image began to image, growing in size until Kyle could see it fully.

A castle sat there, comprised completely of black stone, except for a few places where wan light shone through. Fingerlike spires stabbed up at the sky from its roof. The image moved down to show an oversize entryway where a veritable river of black clad soldiers was emerging, splitting into two flanks. Now the image pulled back to the sky full of black ships of every size and description, each emblazoned with a purplish red crest. The image zoomed back to the entryway now, displaying two figures standing there, dressed in flowing black robes.

Kyle's eyes widened as he recognized his own face and next to him stood…

"Jan," he whispered.

But something was wrong. Neither he or Jan looked right. True, they were together. But, their expressions showed no joy or happiness. Instead, their faces were hooded-looking, eyes sunken and skin an almost sickly looking shade.

"Is this…" he began.

"Yes," the black-cloaked figure holding the cube said, "this is one possible future for you, Kyle Katarn. A future in which the galaxy is at peace. No more wars, no more conflicts, no more debate and dissent. It is beautiful, is it not?"

"It looks and sounds like the Empire."

The black cloaked figure laughed again.

"Palpatine is nothing more than a naïve pretender. You can be a far greater leader than he, and bring the galaxy under control at last. And the one you care for so much will be at your side."

Kyle studied the face of the other Jan. He didn't like what he saw and shook his head.

"Who am I to decide what's right for the galaxy?"

"Katarn…"

"And for that matter, who are you to suggest this to me? I can't say this future you're showing me is very appealing."

"Then you would turn your back on destiny? Your chance to heal the galaxy?"

Now it was Kyle's turn to laugh.

"You can't be serious. I can barely handle taking care of myself, much less the galaxy."

"I see…" the black cloaked figure said, withdrawing the cube. "So then you have decided."

"Decided? Decided what?"

Instead of an answer, the black cloaked figured pulled something else out of its robes. The _snap-hiss_ of a lightsaber being activated was heard as the crimson shaft of light appeared.

"Since you refuse to cooperate, the only alternative then is death."

And with a snarl, the figure launched itself at Kyle. Caught by surprise, the operative grabbed desperately for a weapon and came up with own lightsaber. It came to life a second later, just in time for Kyle to execute a horizontal block against the vertical slash aimed at his head.

The black cloaked figure pressed the attack and Kyle could feel not only physical strength, but a sense of power radiating from the attacker. Suddenly, the crimson lightsaber changed directions, sliding along Kyle's beam and then slashing down towards his legs. He barely got his saber there in time. The black cloaked figure pressed harder and then leapt back.

Its left hand came up, facing palm out. Kyle had a moment to wonder at this before something struck him, hard. He was knocked backwards and off his feet, the lightsaber flying from his grasp. Landing in the soft grass cushioned the impact somewhat, but it still drove the breath from his lungs. The black cloaked figure moved forward until it stood over him. Fighting to get his air back, Kyle felt around in the grass for his saber.

"It's no use," the figure said, "your power is nothing compared to mine. I thought to make you one of my own, but you have chosen. And now you shall pay."

The figure raised its lightsaber for a final strike. Still fighting for air, Kyle couldn't move. But then, a sensation rippled through, like a sudden wind brushing through the grass, except this one moved across his whole body. His vision blurred for a moment, then cleared. But something was different. It was as if someone were looking through his eyes.

Kyle's right hand reached and into it flew the saber hilt, the emerald blade igniting a second later. The crimson blade swung down and was blocked as Kyle raised his arm.

_But is this really me? I couldn't breathe a second ago._

Then, to the operative's surprise, he spoke, but it was not his own voice.

"You forget, Jerec. He is no longer alone."

_Rahn?_

_I am here, my friend, _answered the old Jedi, _we shall face this menace together._

And the next thing Kyle knew, he was back on his feet, holding the saber in both hands.

The black cloaked figure cast off its hood.

A closely cropped corona of dark brown hair clung to the sides and back of the otherwise bald scalp. Where eyes should have been was only a strip of black cloth. Strange tattoos were visible along the thin lips. The moderately lined face seemed to speak only of darkness and cruelty. Kyle realized he had been completely wrong about the figure's identity.

Jerec licked and smiled.

"So, Rahn," he said with oily purr, "I see you live. I thought I had taken care of you before."

"You destroyed my body, Jerec. But your dark powers could never touch my spirit."

"This youth is your pupil then? Or perhaps not. I sense things in him, things I can use."

"You will never have the chance, Dark Jedi. I will see to that."

"Your powers are nothing compared to mine, old man."

"But Kyle's are. You sense that as I do, Jerec. That is why you pursue him."

Jerec licked his lips again.

"And you think you can protect him? He has already tasted of the power I can offer him. And he will want more."

"He has also tasted of the light. I will never allow you to…"

_Okay, _Kyle decided, _I've heard about enough of this._

Concentrating, he found himself able to speak.

"Um, excuse me? You two _do_ know I'm right here. And I'm not just some pawn for you to fight over. I think I'd like to have some say in what happens to me."

_Kyle…_

_Rahn, I'm sorry, but shut up for a sec._

He looked at the Dark Jedi.

"If you think you're gonna use me as some kind of puppet, Jerec, then I have news for you. _I _will decide what my destiny will be, not you and not Rahn."

Jerec stood there, lightsaber glowing. And for a moment, it seemed as if he would strike. But then, the sky, the ground, the grass all seemed to blur and grow hazy. Jerec grimaced, head swiveling to look about. Looking back at Kyle, he smiled, an evil smile.

"Be grateful, Katarn. My power is not great enough to maintain this dream world any longer. But make no mistake. One day we shall meet again. And on that day, I shall make you suffer for your ignorance and arrogance."

And with that, the Dark Jedi vanished. The space around Kyle continued to grow hazy.

_What's happening?_

_You are returning, Kyle. Jerec is no longer able to hold you in this place._

Nearly all the space around the operative had grown dark, except for a small patch upon which he stood.

_So this was all a dream._

_Of a sort_, Rahn said. _You did well here today, Kyle. You have taken another step along the path to becoming a Jedi. Your training has reached the next stage._

Kyle was about to ask what that meant when the space he was around grew dark and he could no long see anything. But a few seconds later, he heard a voice. It began to grow in volume.

* * *

**Somewhere in the aqueducts of Sulon**

"C'mon, Kyle! Don't' do this to me! Wake up already!"

The owner of the voice had been calling like this for the last thirty seconds, but so far no response.

"Blast you, Kyle Katarn! Wake up!"

The eyelids that had been still all this time gave a flutter, then began to tremble.

The owner of the voice saw this, the dark feeling in his heart beginning to change.

Opening his eyes, Kyle immediately shut them against the sudden glare of the sun.

"Too… bright," he croaked.

A second later, the brightness beyond his eyelids dimmed.

Opening his eyes again, Kyle saw a pair of hands directly above him, shading him from the sunlight. Gradually, his pupils contracted, allowing him to see without having to squint. He focused on the hands once again, knowing right away they didn't belong to Jan.

"Kyle!" a voice called urgently, "It's Wexter. Can you hear me? Are you all right?"

Turning his head to the right, Kyle saw the wizened face of the engineer. He smiled, raising his hand.

"Hey there, Wexter," he managed to say. His throat felt dry and chalky, making it hard to speak.

The older man warmly clasped Kyle's arm.

"You gave me quite a scare, thought I'd lost you there for a sec."

"Lost me?" Kyle said.

Wexter gestured and Kyle saw the _Moldy Crow_ parked nearby. Well, not exactly parked. Having followed Kyle's tracking signal to this place, the engineer had spotted the limp form lying on the side of the channel and had made an emergency descent.

Despite his parched throat, Kyle had to chuckle.

"You're lucky Jan isn't here to see that."

Wexter looked over his should to where the _Crow_'s back half was partially submerged in the water. The engineer shrugged, then smiled.

"I'd think she'd be grateful. That ship probably hasn't had a bath in decades."

That broke both men up. But in the midst of this, Kyle began to cough harshly. Retrieving a bottle of water from the kit he had brought from the ship, Wexter held it out. Nodding in thanks as he took it, Kyle took a small sip, then another so as not to overwhelm his throat. Gradually, the pain and soreness faded to a point he could speak.

"Where's Jan? I thought she'd be the one to pick me up."

"Not back from her mission yet," Wexter said, "when the call came in, I jumped in the _Crow_ and flew here as fast as I could."

Kyle nodded, smiling.

"Wee Gee must have gotten through."

"Who's Wee Gee?"

Kyle looked at his friend with questioning eyes.

"The droid who called you."

Wexter shook his head.

"It wasn't a droid that called, Kyle. All I got was a text transmission using the frequency you specified and the recognition code. It said to come here immediately, that you were in trouble."

"Text transmission?" Kyle echoed.

Wexter nodded.

"Probably from Wee Gee then."

The older man look confused for a second, then snapped his fingers.

"Ball shaped with a couple manipulator arms?"

"That's him," Kyle confirmed.

"I see," Wexter answered, "so who was the guy with the blaster?"

Kyle chuckled.

"Hoxel Nuvton. A neighbor and friend of my father's. You met him at the spaceport?"

"More like he met me. Demanded to know who I was and once he figured out I was here for you, ordered me to fly over here at blasterpoint."

Kyle chuckled again.

"That's old man Hoxel for you. Temper like a lava pit."

Wexter took this in, then shrugged.

"Anyways, I flew over and found you unconscious and not breathing."

Kyle's eyes widened at hearing this.

"Not breathing?"

Wexter nodded.

"And then you made this grunting sound and started breathing again, but really raspy."

Still wide-eyed, Kyle lifted a hand to his neck, finding the skin tender to the touch.

_Maybe it wasn't a dream after all_, he thought.

"Kyle, you okay?"

He looked to Wexter, seeing the concern on the man's face. Forcing a smile onto his face, he replied.

"Yeah, I'm okay. Just… thinking 'bout something. So, we gettin' out of here?"

"Unless you got a reason to stay," Wexter offered.

"No," Kyle said strongly, "no reason to stay at all. In fact, I'd prefer to get out of here right away."

It was then he remembered the wound in his left leg. Shifting his eyes that way, he expected the worst. Instead, he found that bandage he had applied earlier was gone, replaced by an oversize piece of gray cloth.

"Your leg was pretty messed up when I got here. I changed the dressing and applied some more medicine. Anything else'll have to wait until we get back to the _Intrepid._

"Then let's not waste any more," Kyle said, reaching out a hand, "help me up?"

Nodding, Wexter rose to his feet and got close to Kyle, wrapping the younger man's arm over his shoulders.

"Ready?"

A nod.

Grunting with effort, Wexter rose, pulling Kyle up with him. The operative pushed with his right leg to help, trying but failing to contain a few moans of pain as his wounded leg protested the movement. But a few seconds later, both men were upright, Wexter holding onto Kyle to keep him from falling.

"Okay, "the engineer said, "here we go."

Together, they walked towards the _Crow_, Kyle doing his best to keep his left foot off the ground and let Wexter lead him. A dozen steps brought them to the side of the ship.

"Now comes the fun part," Kyle observed.

"You're telling me," replied Wexter.

After judging that Kyle still had plenty of arm strength, Wexter helped lift him up until the operative managed to get a solid grip on two handholds. That done, Wexter came around to the other side of the ship, climbing up into the cockpit and across to the other side. Reaching down, he grabbed Kyle's arms just under the wrists.

"Okay," he said, "we gonna do this all at once. When I say go, push off and I'll pull."

"Okay," Kyle replied.

Counting to three, the engineer called loudly.

"Go!"

Pushing off on his right foot, Kyle jumped up towards the cockpit. At the same time, Wexter use the momentum to pull up and forward. The combined effort resulted in Kyle half climbing, half falling into the cockpit. With a bit more help, he finally fell into the forward couch, teeth gritted and eyes closed against the pain radiating from his left leg. Wexter strapped him in, then moved to the rear couch, beginning the power up sequence for the _Crow_'s engines.

"Wexter?"

"Yeah?"

"Jan is not gonna be happy when she finds out you ripped up the seat cover to make this bandage."

"Prob'ly not."

Both men chuckled as Wexter hit the switch for the canopy. The sound of it lowering brought a smile to Kyle's face. The forward repulsors came online without a fuss, but the rear ones, submerged in the water, wouldn't light at first. It took Wexter raising the nose and turning the ship nearly sideways before the after repulsors came free of the water and with a bit more coaxing, came online. The ship gave a big shudder as the main drive activated, water spewing out of the nozzles before being replaced by the blue glow.

"'Bout time," Wexter commented, glaring at the controls.

"You did have them under water, you know, " Kyle said.

"You're not helping," Wexter retorted.

Smiling widely, Kyle looked out through the front windscreen as the unbroken wall of permacrete gave way to a view of a grassy plain, some distance away. It reminded Kyle strongly of the "dream". Sunlight slanted into the cockpit, the filters in the transparisteel working to reduce the glare to keep it from being too harsh for human eyes. The effect provided a warm light that moved across Kyle's face.

_That feels good._

Then, the grassy plain was gone as Wexter hit the thrusters and the _Crow_ took off, arcing into the sky.

* * *

And so, another mission ends and our wounded hero goes to be healed once again. But there is more to tell. What has happened to Jan? What about her mission? Stay tuned for Chapter 11! Coming soon!


	11. Chapter 11: To Learn The Force

**Kyle Katarn: The Rise & Fall **

**Book 2: Birth of a Jedi**

**Chapter 11: To Learn The Force

* * *

**

A/N: Hi there, everyone! Shanesnest here with the latest chapter of Kyle Katarn: The Rise and Fall, Book 2: Birth of a Jedi. Well the Sulon mission concluded more or less successfully, although Kyle managed to get one heck of a nasty wound. But now, safe aboard the _Moldy Crow_ (or is he? Kidding!), things should a better turn for our hero. But before we move on, let's get to the shout outs.

Nerwen Aldarion: I'm not! Seriously, I'm not! I just want to make sure it comes at the right moment. That's a good analog about roaches and Tuskens, except once you kill a Tusken, it doesn't get back up. My idea behind the vision Jerec showed Kyle was to convince ol' KK that he could all the power PLUS Jan. But you're right in that she would NEVER go for it. So you figured out it was Wexter, eh? Oh well, I'll have to try harder next time. I've already got a scene in mind for when Jan finds out about the _Crow_. I'll have Kyle tell her, in time.

Tinuviel Undomiel: As I've gotten comments from some who prefer and others who prefer character driven, I try to mix in a little of both without getting mired in either. Well, Kyle knows about Jan's temper, doesn't he? He knows how she's going to react when she sees the _Crow_. That is, unless Wexter fixes it _really_ quick. You've got it exactly about the Force vision; Jerec is luring Kyle with the promise of power PLUS Jan, even though she'd never go for it for real. I'm truly torn on when he should tell her. Should it be now? Should it be later? How to tell her? And so on and so on. I think I'll know when the moment is right, although your sister wants it ASAP. Well, I don't wanna spill the whole beanbag here, but I am writing something along the lines of what you're for when the _Crow_ goes down.

Manus Dei: You know, you're right. It is kinda like Nar Shaddaa. The part I hated the most in the game is all those wonderfully high places to fall from! I definitely am considering having him learn Force Heal or something like it early on.

Mach Farcon: Thanks! This chap felt a lot better than the last one. I got it on the p.s., thanks for telling me.

A/N: Well, all righty then! So without further ado or nonsensical words from yours truly, please enjoy this latest chapter. Looking forward to your reviews!

* * *

**Unknown Space **(convenient, eh?)

**The **_**Vengeance**_

The flagship of the Dark Jedi Jerec cruised through space with seeming impunity. Once an unfinished Super Star Destroyer, the vessel had been "appropriated" shortly after the battle between the Empire and the Rebellion at Endor. Modified to Jerec's personal specifications, the _Vengeance_ was unlike any Star Destroyer. Its dagger-like hull had been tapered so that it sloped downward from the ship's keel. Ungainly-looking wings jutted out from the rear of the ship near its massive array of engines.

But what was most striking of all was the ship's color. All Star Destroyers employed in the Empire's Space Navy were white to off white in color whereas the _Vengeance_ was a dark gray bordering on black. Aside from the cluster of engines stabbing light into the void of space, the ship might as well have been cloaked in darkness. The interior was nearly as dark, the muted lighting a concession to the human officers and crew who operated the ship. But for those Dark Knights who served under the former Imperial Inquisitor, the dimly lit corridors were of little concern or challenge.

At this moment, one of them, perhaps the one closest to Jerec was moving through one of the darkened corridors at a fast walk. Her original name had been lost years ago and now she was known only as Sariss, a former Imperial agent who had become one of Jerec's many followers. Slowing to a normal pace, she stopped before one door in particular and began to raise her hand to touch the call chime. But then, remembering the last time she had done this and the reaction, she instead closed her eyes and concentrated.

_Lord Jerec, it is Sariss. Are you all right?_

She waited nearly a minute and when there was no response, she repeated the mental call. This time, there was a reply as the door before her slid open. Sariss stood there, not taking a step forward.

"Come in Sariss,"

It was the voice of her master, inviting her in. She complied, trying but unable to contain a flash of fear. Jerec's voice had sounded tired and weak. She wondered what had happened to him.

"Do not worry, my apprentice," Jerec replied, having read her thoughts, "I am weakened for the moment, but my strength shall return. And there is something we must discuss.

Sariss moved into the room, the black cloak she wore waving slightly with each step. She found Jerec sitting in the middle of the floor, legs crossed under him, hands resting on his thighs. His breath came in short harsh gasps.

"Master," she said, approaching him, "a short while ago, I felt a strong disturbance in the Force and I sensed you were in pain."

A smile came to Jerec's face as he listened.

"You are doing well to sense all this, my apprentice. But you still have much to learn. For if you were truly growing in the Dark Side, you would know what I know now."

Sariss lowered her head a little, accepting the rebuke.

"I feared to, Master," she said, "for if you sensed me trying to read your thoughts, I believed you would become angry and punish me for intruding."

Jerec nodded, understanding.

"Your caution is wise, Sariss. But as a Dark Jedi, you must learn never to let fear keep you from acting. Rather, use your fear and let it give you power. But for now, peer into my mind, and see what it is I wish to show you."

She hesitated for a moment, fearing this might be a trick or perhaps a test.

"Now is the time, Sariss, while I am weak. Do not hesitate."

Nodding, the Dark Jedi took a seat next to her master, positioning herself in the same way as he. She pulled back the hood of the cloak she wore, exposing her face. What would have been a perfectly oval face was spoiled somewhat by the harsh lines of the cheekbones and chin. The mouth was small, the lips glowing with the faintest shade of red. Like her master, Sariss wore an outfit of the deepest black with a pull-down flap across the chest colored in a deep crimson. Form fitting, the top half left the shoulders and arms exposed, displaying long, lean muscles. Trousers, somewhat loose fitting to allow maximum freedom of movement, lead down to high black boots that reached to just below her knees. Black gauntlets covered part of her forearms and wrists, leading up to black straps that ran across the sides of her hands and around each finger, just below the knuckle.

Muted green eyes were visible beneath a crop of short blond hair cut close to the scalp. Those same eyes now closed as Sariss concentrated, seeking to probe her Master's mind. She felt resistance at first, but with a bit of power added to her mind probe, the wall before her fell and now imagery began to flow into her mind, a scene displayed before of the encounter between Jerec and Kyle Katarn. She watched as words were exchanged and then, with the flash of lightsaber blades, a battle began. To her surprise, Katarn put up an adequate enough defense to keep Jerec from landing a single blow. She wondered how this was possible, given Jerec's demonstrated proficiency with the weapon. But as her mind delved deeper into the scene, she sensed a third presence, and a moment later, realized that it was the Jedi Rahn, and he was helping Katarn, guiding his steps, his attacks and his defenses.

_The Jedi from before, _she thought, remembering an old tale of how fallen Jedi could, for a time, still remain in this plane of existence before moving on to the great beyond_._

_And somehow, Rahn has done this._

_Precisely, _Jerec replied.

But then, as the scene went on, Sariss began to sense more. It had seemed clear to her that the old Jedi was helping Katarn with handling the lightsaber, but now she was sensing something new, something more. And then she saw it.

The scene grew wavy as Jerec, unable to finish Katarn, realized he could not continue the fight _and _maintain the dream world. It faded away as the Dark Jedi's essence had returned to the ship.

_Master! That human, I sensed… he feels the Force. And his power…_

_Yes, Sariss, _Jerec answered, _Katarn is special. He has a deep connection to the Force. If he can be turned, he may very well be the most powerful Dark Jedi ever._

_But he refused you, Master._

_True, Sariss. But like yourself and the others were; Katarn is blind to his great destiny and what he can become. This is why our new mission will be to find him and …educate him._

Sariss smiled at this.

_Master, I wish to see more. If I may…_

It was as if the wall she had broken through slammed down with unstoppable force, cutting her off from Jerec's mind as an invisible hand pushed her away with great force. She flew away from him, fetching up against a wall.

The pain was immediate and intense, the blow strong enough to stun her whole body and render Sariss incapable of mounting a defense or executing an attack. She lay there as Jerec rose to his feet and approached her, stopping inches away. He glared down at her.

"Your powers are growing, Sariss. This pleases me. But do not forget your place. As you are now, you are no match for me. Do not attempt to test yourself against me again or the consequences shall be… unfortunate."

Despite the pain she felt, Sariss managed to look up at the Dark Jedi, and then bowed her head.

"I understand, Master."

In an instant, the Dark Jedi's attitude seemed to change. He smiled at her.

"Good, now come. There is much to do. I have a plan to bring Katarn to us. And then we may begin his training and bring him over to the Dark Side."

* * *

**The Planet Sulon**

**Spaceport**

Soon after the _Moldy Crow_'s skids had come to rest on the well worn surface of the spaceport landing bay, Kyle was treated to a display of comedic proportions. First, Hoxel Nuvton had come boiling out of the main building, all but tearing the doors off as he exited, Wee Gee hot on his heels. Grabbing for the handholds built into the side of the ship, the man pulled him up to the level of the cockpit, his face appearing just as Wexter pressed the control to raise the canopy.

"Where have you been, boy? You tell me you're just going out to your old man's farm and the next thing I know; the speeder I lent you comes rushing back with this crazy droid at the controls practically screaming at me to get you some help."

"Hoxel…"

"Don't interrupt me, boy," the man said, "And then, while I'm sittin' here, worryin' and frettin' over what might have happened to you, _this_ guy shows up, asking all kindsa questions instead of heading out to find you!"

"Now wait just a second," Wexter said, incredulous, "you're the one who pulled a blaster on me, remember?"

"I didn't know who you were," Hoxel answered defensively, "you show up here in this rattletrap of a ship and…"

"Rattletrap!" Wexter exclaimed, "Let me you tell you something. This ship is a classic, one I've personally worked to…"

"Son," Hoxel said, "I _know_ what kind of ship it is. And its' obvious you haven't been taking very good care of it. Look at this hull!"

He pointed to one of the rusted-looking plates.

"Hey!" Wexter said angrily, "I'm nearly as old as you, friend! And it's because of my work that this ship hasn't fallen apart!"

"Really," Hoxel said, "because in my day…"

As the two men continued to argue, Wee Gee floated up to the other side of the cockpit, its photoreceptor focusing on Kyle's face. The droid emitted a string of beeps and whistles.

"I'm okay, Weeg, really."

The droid gave a disbelieving blatting sound, and then added, "Then how exactly do you explain the bandage on your leg?"

Giving the droid a fake smile, Kyle responded.

"It isn't that bad, Weeg. I've had worse."

The droid's response clearly indicated that it did not believe him and doubted he could even walk.

Umbrage rose inside Kyle.

"Is that right?" he said, fixing a glare at the droid, "Well, we'll just see about that."

Bracing with his arms and pushing with his right leg, Kyle began to lift himself out of the cockpit couch. He was almost out when his left leg hit the lower part of the instrument panel. In the space of a second, it felt as if the pain started in the bottom of his feet, then shot up through his spine before exiting through the top of his head with the force of a volcano.

With a barely subdued scream, Kyle dropped back into the seat. Turning to see the two older men still arguing, Wee Gee let off with a loud string of strident and angry beeps and whistles. Cut off in mid-sentence by the droid, the two men looked to the front cockpit where Kyle was trying, but failing, to not express the pain he was feeling.

The men looked at each other.

"Maybe we should save this for later," Wexter offered.

Looking as if he were slightly impressed, Hoxel nodded and slid down to where Kyle was.

"What in heaven did you do to yourself, boy?" he exclaimed before his eyes caught sight of the bandage around Kyle's leg.

"This is why I didn't want you going off by yourself, boy! Those blasted Tuskens! We shoulda killed the lot of them years ago! But no, you had to go off to that house! And now look what's happened! You Katarns, you _and_ your father! Too blasted stubborn! I've said that all along!"

Kyle sat there, doing his best to deal with the pain as Hoxel went on. And where someone else would have felt rebuked or ashamed, Kyle realized the old man's angry words had a different intent.

Finding his voice, he managed to say, "Both of us… huh? I'll… take that… as a compliment."

"Why you…" Hoxel sputtered, "I can't believe how disrespectful you are! If you weren't hurt…"

Just then, the sound of electricity sparking inside the cockpit was heard. Looking to the other side, Kyle, Wexter and Hoxel all saw where one of Wee Gee's manipulator arms was held up menacingly, a welding torch visible, giving off another spark as it touched the hull of the ship. The droid emitted two whistles and a beep.

"What'd he say?" asked Wexter.

Kyle smiled. "He said he's heard enough out of both of you and that if something isn't done to fix my wound, he's going to do something extremely painful with that torch."

For a moment, it seemed as if Hoxel was going to argue, but then Wee Gee punctuated his statement by directing the flame of the welding torch directly onto the ship's hull, where it gave off an even brighter spark than before.

"Wait here," the man said, stepping down from the cockpit and running inside. He returned a few minutes later, carrying a syringe. He stepped back up to where Kyle was.

"Here, this will work."

"What is it?" Wexter and Kyle said at the same time.

"I got it from the emergency kit I keep here. It's a sedative. It'll take care of the pain at least."

He turned to Wexter.

"I assume you know a doctor you can take him to."

Wexter nodded. Moving closer, Hoxel found a vein in Kyle's left arm and pressed the tip of the syringe against it. The needle slid in easily. Pressing the plunger, Hoxel waited until the stopper in the syringe had reached the bottom of the tube before pulling it out.

"There," he said, "that should take effect in a few minutes. Now, tell me, did you find what you came here for?"

Kyle contemplated the question before answering.

"Yes," he finally said, "yes I did."

_And something more._

Hoxel nodded, and then moved in close before speaking again.

"Now you listen to me, boy, and listen close. You promise me right here and now that you're going to take care of yourself. Quit being so reckless."

Kyle smiled at him.

"I'll try," he said.

"Good enough. And one last thing."

Seeing the man's eyes, Kyle could sense the strong emotion in them. He gave Hoxel his full attention.

"I want you to keep me posted on how you're doing. And understand that you will always be welcome here. Your father may be gone, but as far as I'm concerned, you're part of my family now and this will _always _be your home."

Kyle felt his throat close up a little as the emotion welled inside him. He raised his left hand and Hoxel clasped it firmly. The two men stared at each other for a long moment.

"I'll remember," Kyle said, "thank you."

Nodding, Hoxel stepped down from the ship and moved away.

"Ooofff!"

The air exploded out of Kyle's lungs as something landed directly in his lap. A moment later, Wee-Gee's photoreceptor appeared, mere inches from his face.

"Weeg!" Kyle exclaimed, trying to get his breath back, "what are you doing?"

The droid issued two perfunctory beeps.

"What's going on up there?" Wexter called.

"Wee Gee wants to come along," Kyle answered, then to the droid said, "I don't know if that's a good idea, Weeg. It…"

The droid cut him off, beep angrily.

"Oh please! It wasn't my fault Father left you there! I wasn't exactly…"

The droid interrupted again.

"No, Weeg. I wasn't going to just leave you there to rot. Geez, what do you..?"

Now the droid switched tactics.

"Of course I care what happens to you. You're my friend. I just…"

The droid jumped in with another string of beeps.

"Okay, fine!" Kyle declared, exasperated, "You wanna come? Then you can come! All right?"

The droid emitted a single, contented beep, settling itself into the lower portion of the cockpit so it would be out of the way.

_What I'd give for a laser wrench right now_, Kyle thought, and then called to Wexter.

"You'd better increase power to repulsors. Looks like we have a passenger."

Wexter smiled as he keyed in the changes to power settings. The canopy lowered and locked itself into place. Air swirled as the _Crow_ rose off its skids and into the air. Looking outside, Kyle waved at Hoxel, who lifted a hand in response. Then, the view shifted as Wexter spun the ship around and engaged the drive, sending the ship rising into the sky, accelerating until it became a mere dot on the horizon.

Back at the spaceport, Hoxel felt his eyes sting suddenly and reached into his pocket for a cloth to wipe at them.

_Blasted dust. Keeps aggravating my allergies.

* * *

_

**Rebel Command Ship **_**Intrepid**_

**Eight Hours Later**

"And so," Kyle concluded, "after dealing with Wee Gee, Wexter and I departed from Sulon and made the jump to hyperspace without further incident."

"Well," Mon Mothma said, "it seems your side trip to Sulon turned into something bigger than you expected."

Kyle nodded and smiled.

"Between the Tuskens and waterslides, there weren't a lot of dull moments."

The Rebel leader smiled also.

"So how are you feeling?" she asked.

"He'll be just fine," said Doctor Berth, securing the last strip of bandage, "and there. How does that feel?"

"A lot better," Kyle replied, trying a few experimental movements, "it doesn't hurt to move it anymore."

He sat on the edge of a diagnostic table, with Doctor Berth and Mon Mothma to either side. One leg of the trousers he wore had been rolled up to expose his injured calf.

"Good," said Berth, "the damage wasn't extensive, but strangely, when I inspected the muscle, I saw evidence of recent trauma, including some tearing and nerve damage. Probably the reason why it hurt so much when you were shot. I'm just not sure what would have caused it."

Kyle thought back to his overly aggressive workout from days prior even as Berth continued.

"But, whatever the case, you should be fine. However, in order for everything to heal properly, you've got to give it sufficient rest. And as part of that: here.

Berth held out an object. Seeing it, Kyle rolled his eyes.

"Doc, you've got to be kidding."

The object was a cane. A rubber grommet covered the lower half of the black shaft, which curved in the shape of a "7" towards the top, where a piece of rubberized nylon provided a solid gripping surface.

"What?" Berth said, seemingly not understanding.

"Doc," Kyle said emphatically, eyes shifting to the cane.

Berth shrugged. "Look, I was able to repair the damage from the blaster shot. But the musculature still needs time to recover before it'll work normally. Bottom line, you won't be able to walk without it."

"Aw c'mon, doc," Kyle said, not convinced, "I feel fine, see?"

Sliding off the table, he stood a step forward and then the left leg buckled. Kyle started to fall, but Berth was ready and caught him, guiding the operative to the chair Mon Mothma had vacated. Kyle sat down heavily.

"Whoa, that was close. Thanks, doc."

"No problem," replied Berth as he held out the cane, "now will you?"

"There's no other option?" Kyle asked.

"Sure there is, " the doctor said, "you can stay in Sickbay for a week having a machine work on your leg until it's healed."

Kyle reached out, accepting the cane without another word.

"Well," Mon Mothma, "with that settled; Kyle, I'm placing you on restricted duty until further notice.

The operative nodded, he had been expecting this.

"Then this meeting is concluded."

"Mon Mothma, if I may?"

"Yes, Kyle?"

"About Jan and Wee Gee, I was wondering about their respective status."

The smile disappeared from the Rebel leader's face.

"There has still been no word from Jan. She's missed one communications checkpoint in the last four days, with the next coming in two days. Hopefully, we will hear something from her by then. And as for your droid…"

"Oh great," Kyle said, hearing the tone in her voice, "what did he do?"

She waved his concern away.

"Nothing bad, I assure you. The techs examined him and reports are that he appears to be functioning well. However, he refuses to allow them to perform a detailed scan of his interior circuitry without receiving your permission first, _in person_. The techs reported they tried everything they could, but Wee Gee was most strident in his refusals. He was delivered to your quarters about an hour ago."

Kyle nodded.

"I'll talk to him. Tell the techs he'll report first thing tomorrow and cooperate with them."

"Thank you," said Mon Mothma, "and be sure you get some rest, Kyle. I want you back on active duty as soon as Doctor Berth deems you fit."

"You got it."

"Just remember," the doctor, "don't push the leg too far or too fast. It'll come along on its own in time."

"I will," Kyle replied.

After taking a few faltering steps with the cane and getting some help and tips from Berth, Kyle walked out of Sickbay, the cane clicking on the floor with each step.

He headed to his quarters, passing by a number of the _Intrepid_'s crew on the way. Fortunately, the repulsor scooter just outside Sickbay allowed him to hide the cane. He could only imagine the comments if people knew.

Arriving at the entrance, he used the cane to step down from the scooter. His left leg wobbled uncertainly and his earlier resentment for the plasteel staff was lessened. Stepping inside his quarters, Kyle found Wee Gee floating to one side of the room.

"Mon Mothma tells me you wouldn't let the techs take a look at your insides."

Wee Gee responded with incredulity, "That's what you wanted me to do, wasn't it? You said so in the ship."

"Calm down, Weeg," Kyle said, "you did just fine."

"And what about you?" the droid asked.

Leaning against the wall for support, Kyle held up the cane.

"Have to use this for a week. Other than that, I'm fine."

Wee Gee's reply was relieved sounding.

"You worry too much about me, Weeg. But then, you always have."

The droid responded by floating over and extending one if its manipulator arms. Kyle allowed it to clasp his right hand.

"Someone has to," it said.

Kyle patted the droid's frame.

"Thanks, Weeg. I really do appreciate it. But on another topic, do you still have it?"

In answer, a compartment opened on the droid's body and out came the hilt of the lightsaber. Kyle took it, examining the black and silver shaft.

Wee Gee asked a question.

"Because I wasn't ready, Weeg. And think about it, how exactly do you expect me to explain this to Mon Mothma? Hey, guess what? I went home and found out I'm a Jedi in training? Here's my lightsaber to prove it. Oh, and I also have conversations with a dead Jedi in my mind."

"Well, it's the truth," Wee Gee replied.

"Truth or not, Weeg, I'm not sure she could have handled it. This on top of everything else, including me being a former Imperial. I'd be lucky if they didn't lock me up for psychological observation."

_You will have to tell her someday, Kyle. You will have to tell them all._

"I know, Rahn. You're absolutely right. It's just that… I don't feel ready. I don't how to explain this without sounding like a loon."

_Wee Gee is right, Kyle. You would be telling them the truth._

"I understand that. But it's been ages since anyone's even seen a Jedi. And here I come claiming to be one? A former Imperial, a mercenary and a Rebel agent? Even I find it hard to believe."

Rahn was silent for a long moment, then responded.

_Then you must learn more about the Force, my friend. Seek the knowledge that is available in it, the wisdom that countless Jedi before you knew. And perhaps, in that, you will find the words you seek._

Kyle considered this, and then nodded. "It sounds like a good idea. But how do I do it?"

_We will begin with a meditation exercise, having you learn to feel the Force and then seeking knowledge from it._

"Okay."

_Begin by finding a place in your quarters._

Kyle looked around, settling on the bed. He sat down on it.

_Now,_ Rahn said, _place the lightsaber in your hands, close your eyes and begin your breathing exercises._

Suddenly, Wee Gee spoke up, asking more questions.

"I don't see why not," Kyle replied, "you should have proper clearance. As for tomorrow, let the techs take a look at you, okay?"

Wee Gee respond affirmatively, then floated out of the room, intent on exploring the ship.

"Sorry 'bout that."

_No need for apologies._

Kyle started again, placing the lightsaber in his upturned hands, then closing his eyes and focusing on his breathing, in through the nose, out through the mouth.

_Good, _Rahn said, _just like that. Find your center. Be at peace._

Kyle continued this for several more minutes, beginning to feel relaxed.

_Excellent. Now, reach out with your mind. _

_But how? _Kyle asked.

_As you did before, _Rahn replied, _concentrate on a single point, the first question you have, the first thing you want to know._

Staring at the darkness behind his closed eyelids, Kyle concentrated, thinking of how he was going to explain to people who and what he was now.

Suddenly, light seemed to fill his vision, a warm, gentle light that begin to spiral into a kaleidoscope of colors, each seemingly richer than the last.

_Yes,_ Rahn said contentedly, _now we may begin._

Kyle heard this, and though he didn't completely understand, something in him said confidently that he was in the place he needed to be and that his questions would find their answers.

Smiling, he allowed himself to fall into the whirlpool of light.

* * *

**Corridor outside the quarters of Kyle Katarn**

**Three Hours Later**

Having finished his explorations of one whole deck of the massive Star Destroyer, Wee Gee floated towards the entrance to Kyle's quarters. The self-guided tour had been enjoyable for the droid as he had encountered members of the _Intrepid_'s crew and while many could not understand him, they were for the most part, friendly.

Now, with his internal batteries dipping towards empty, the droid had returned to charge up his systems before trying the next deck. The door to the room readily opened at his request and he passed inside, photoreceptor looking for a recharging station.

When Wee Gee saw Kyle, the droid stopped short. Activating sensors, the droid made as full an examination as it could, but the results were confusing at best. His own electronic brain could not credibly believe what it was seeing.

For there, about six inches above the bed was Kyle, floating, his legs crossed Indian style underneath him. His eyes were closed and there was a smile on his face.

"Hi Weeg. Welcome back."

Now the droid reacted, letting forth with an incredulous stream of beeps and whistles.

"Calm down, Weeg," Kyle said, softly interrupting. "It's okay. I'm all right."

The reply from the droid was even more incredulous.

"I'm serious, Weeg. I feel fine. In fact, I feel great."

The droid scanned Kyle with its bio sensors. The readings came back, heart rate, blood pressure, all normal. The only abnormality was a higher than normal reading in a portion of the brain.

Still unsure, the droid asked a question.

"Yes, Weeg. I can see you. You're floating just in front of me."

"How?" the droid asked.

"It's the power of the Force, Weeg," he replied, "don't ask me to explain exactly how, but I have these powers now, as you can see."

Wee Gee asked another question.

"Actually, yes I can. Watch this."

Still floating, Kyle reached out a hand. A cup sitting on the sink in the 'fresher trembled, slid and then as Wee Gee watched: rose into the air. It moved towards Kyle, finally settling in his hand.

"It's incredible, Weeg. I would have never imagined this was possible. And according to Rahn, this is only the beginning."

The droid was still not convinced.

"Weeg, it's still me. The same Kyle Katarn you know. It's just that now… I am… something more."

When Wee Gee responded to this, Kyle's face creased in a frown.

"Laugh if you want to, Weeg. But this is the truth. I'm not kidding you."

Wee Gee said more.

"I know it seems unbelievable. I'm the one doing it and I don't quite believe it, either."

Wee Gee asked another question.

"Each thing I do seems to take effort, kind of like working with my mind like I'd work with my body. In fact, now that I say it, maybe I'll take a little break."

The droid watched as the man descended until the mattress gave off a sound as his body settled onto it. Opening his eyes, Kyle blinked twice, and then focused on the droid.

"Hi again, Weeg."

The droid beeped a question.

"I feel okay, Weeg. Maybe a little tired. But nothing hurts."

His head cocked to one side as if he was listening to something. He nodded.

"It's like Rahn just said. Using the Force does require some effort, depending on how experienced you are with it. I've got to build my mental muscles just like I work out my body."

Now Wee Gee offered a comment. Kyle smiled.

"I've been wondering what Father would think of this too. Rahn has told me that he was Force-sensitive too, but never really explored it."

Then Wee Gee asked _the _question.

Kyle hesitated before answering.

"I don't know. I feel like I know a bit more about the Force now, but I'm still not sure how to explain it to the others. I guess I'm not ready yet.

Wee Gee seemed to accept this, and then turned to a different topic.

"Oh c'mon, Weeg!" Kyle exclaimed, "not you too! Why do so many people seem to have a problem with my growing a beard?"

The argument continued for an hour more, neither side gaining ground or capitulating. Finally, it was decided that Kyle would keep his beard and Wee Gee would let him know the moment any gray appeared in it.

* * *

The next morning, Kyle accompanied Wee Gee to Droid Inspection Lab #3. Inside, he found a group of technicians milling about, conducting various tests on some the _Intrepid's _cadre of droids. One of them spotted the two newcomers.

"Can I help you?"

"I'm Kyle Katarn and this is my droid, Wee Gee, here for inspection."

"Oh yes," the man in the technician's uniform said, "I remember this one well."

He extended a hand.

"I'm Cadn Elmnis, specialist in the R series of droids. I noticed yours has some of the components of one."

"He's a custom built," Kyle offered.

"I figured as much," said Elmnis, "it would perhaps explain why he was so… reluctant to allow us to perform the full scan."

Kyle shrugged.

"Wee Gee has always been quirk… I mean, unique. But don't worry. I've talked to him and he's agreed to cooperate with you."

"I see," said Elmnis, "well then, Wee Gee, if you'll come with me, we'll begin with the internal component scan."

The droid's photoreceptor turned to look at Kyle for a moment. As if sensing the droid's hesitation, Elmnis spoke again.

"I promise you it won't hurt, Wee Gee. We just want to take a look at your internal systems. It's not often my team and I get to examine a droid as unique as you are. Afterwards, we may have a few questions to ask and that'll be it."

Hearing this, Wee Gee floated past in the direction indicated by the technician. He beeped something and Kyle could not help but laugh.

"Talk about your delusions of adequacy. Make sure to behave yourself, Weeg."

"This shouldn't take more than an hour or so," Elmnis offered, "should I have him wait here for you afterwards?"

"No need, he knows the way back to my quarters."

The technician nodded, and Kyle turned and left, returning to his quarters for another meditation session with Rahn. When Wee Gee came back two hours later and began to tell Kyle how well he was treated, he found the man floating just below the ceiling of the room and the same cup from yesterday along with his blaster and lightsaber floating in front of him.

To Wee-Gee's incredulous surprise, Kyle smiled.

"It's incredible, Weeg. I'm doing very much the same things as yesterday, but the sense of confidence I have now, of control, I think I'm getting better.

_You _are_ growing, Kyle_, said Rahn.

The next day, after Doctor Berth had authorized it, Kyle made his first trek out of his quarters. He still used the repulsor scooters to move across large spaces, but where he could, he walked, the cane clicking loudly in the corridors, announcing his presence wherever he went. And as he had feared, seeing the cane had people treating him differently. It had taken a little less than two hours after breakfast before he had had it. And so, to the next person who offered to help him, Kyle said this.

"Instead of helping me, crewman, there is something more important I'd like you to do."

"Of course, sir."

Kyle smiled a predator's smile at the man.

"Inasmuch as you can, spread the word that the next person after you who offers to help me or treats me like some kind of invalid is gonna get a beating courtesy of this cane."

He raised it menacingly.

"Am I clear?"

"Yes, sir," the now frightened crewer said.

"Good," Kyle said, still smiling, "on your way then."

And so it was when Kyle came to the mess hall that night for dinner, no one offered to help him. However, several whispered conversations went on as he was observed struggling to balance a tray full of food with one hand.

Seeing a table close by, Kyle made for it. The tray wavered again, threatening to spill.

_C'mon, _he told himself, _almost there._ And so he was when the cane slid a bit, causing Kyle to overstep. The tray tilted and began to fall.

"Whoa there!" called a voice.

A pair of hands reached out from behind him, grabbing the tray before it could spill. At the same time, another pair of hands grabbed Kyle's left arm and pulled, helping to steady him. The whole incident was over in a few seconds.

Having been sure the tray was going to spill, Kyle realized he was breathing a bit fast. Calming himself, he turned to his benefactor.

"Thank you, that was a little too close."

"You're welcome," said a familiar voice.

"We're always glad to help," said a second, also familiar, voice.

Turning in the direction the voices had came from; he saw the smiling faces of Tinuviel Undomiel and Nerwen Aldarion, the co-heads of Rebel Intelligence.

"Well," he said, a bit nonplussed, "this is unexpected."

"Oh?" said Tinuviel.

"And why is that?" asked Nerwen.

_Man, they confuse me when they do that. I'm not sure who to look at when I answer._

"Well," he said, trying to come up with an answer, "I figured with Jan's mission and all, you two would be pretty busy."

"Oh we are," said Nerwen.

"But we decided we needed a break," said Tinuviel.

Kyle nodded.

"Well, you couldn't have picked a better time for it. Thanks again."

"You're welcome," they said together.

_How in the heck do they do that?_

He reached out a hand.

"I can take that now," he said.

"Oh no," said Tinuviel, pulling the tray away.

"There's no way we're going to let you do that," added Nerwen.

"But, gir… I mean, ladies…"

"No buts," the two of them said together.

"You're coming with me," said Tinuviel, shifting the tray to one hand while she took Kyle's left hand with her right. She started ahead and he finally had to take a step to follow her.

"I'll get our food," offered Nerwen, heading for the line of people holding trays.

Being virtually dragged, Kyle tried a final protest.

"C'mon, Tinuviel, I'm not some invalid here. I _can_ walk."

"I know that," she answered without looking at him, "but a little help can't hurt, can it?"

"Still…"

"I _can_ pull rank on you, you know," she said, turning to look over her shoulder at him and winking. "You don't really want me to do that, do you?"

Memories of Jan saying something similar flashed through his mind. Kyle chuckled.

"All right," he said, "you win, _this_ time."

With another smile in his direction, Tinuviel guided Kyle over to a table, allowing the operative to take a seat by himself and placing his tray down before moving off to meet her sister, who was approaching, carrying two trays. The twins took seats opposite Kyle.

"See?" said Nerwen, "that wasn't so bad, was it?"

"I suppose not," said Kyle, "it's just that ever since breakfast, everyone on this ship is treating me like some old man who can't manage to tie his own shoes."

"It's _that_ bad?" asked Tinuviel.

"When some guy older than me decided he needs to help me get onto one of the repulsor scooters? Yeah, it's _that_ bad."

The twins stared at him for a moment, and then began to laugh.

Cheeks coloring with embarrassment, Kyle looked away.

"It's not _that_ funny."

"We're sorry," said Nerwen, still chuckling.

"It's just," Tinuviel added, "the mental image."

They dissolved into laughter again.

"Y'know," Kyle said sarcastically, "I'm so glad you two stopped by. I feel so much better now."

Still, watching them and remembering the incident, Kyle admitted to himself that it was kinda funny. But no way would he admit it. Instead, he tucked into his meal, as did Tinuviel and Nerwen once they got themselves under control.

Later, when they had finished, the twins both gazed at him. Having finished his own meal shortly before, Kyle met their gazes until it became uncomfortable.

"What?" he finally asked.

"We were just wondering," said Nerwen.

"How the mission to your home planet went," finished Tinuviel.

"We saw that droid you brought back," added Nerwen.

"Is he yours?" asked Tinuviel.

"Well, sort of," Kyle replied, "my father built him years ago as a specialty droid to help around the house. And… when my mom died, Wee Gee sort of became my defacto guardian."

"Wee Gee?" the twins said together.

"That's his name," Kyle explained, "although I mostly call him Weeg."

"Where did you come up…" began Nerwen.

"… with such an odd name?" finished Tinuviel.

"Well," Kyle said, smiling as he recalled the event, "believe it or not, it was the first thing he said. Once my father got him working, he asked him some questions, beginning with, 'What is your name?'

"And he said Wee Gee?" asked Tinuviel

"For real?" added Nerwen.

"True story," said Kyle, "you can ask him yourself if you want."

The twins looked at each other, exchanging a glance. Kyle decided it was time for him to ask something.

"Listen, I know a lot of your work is classified, but can I ask you about Jan's mission? Have you heard from her? Or anything in regards to the mission?"

"That's okay," said Tinuviel.

"We don't mind if you ask, "said Nerwen, "the only problem is…"

"We don't know much in the way of new data," finished Tinuviel.

"No comm traffic or data downloads?"

The twins shook their heads.

"The last communication from Jan came while you were still on Sulon," said Nerwen.

"She reported successful entry into the Drovan System and that she was setting course for Outpost Beta as scheduled," added Tinuviel.

"That's the last we heard," finished Nerwen.

"And she's already missed one communications checkpoint," said Kyle.

The twins nodded.

The silence grew until all three at the table grew uncomfortable.

"Maybe we should…" Tinuviel began when her wrist chrono began to chime, as did Nerwen's.

The twins looked at the devices with disappointed looks.

"Time to get back?" Kyle asked.

"Yes, "said Tinuviel.

"I guess so," added Nerwen.

"Well, I don't want to keep you, so…"

Just then, the twins leaned across, each taking one of Kyle's hands and squeezing it.

"It'll be okay, Kyle," said Tinuviel.

"Don't worry, Jan will come back safe," said Nerwen.

"We just know it," they said together.

Kyle smiled at them. "Thanks, both of you. I'll try not to worry."

The twins gave him a last, glowing smile, then let go and turned away, moving for the room's exit. Waiting until they were gone, Kyle carefully rose from his chair and headed back to his quarters.

He had a question to ask Rahn.


	12. Chapter 12: Testing Boundaries

**Kyle Katarn: The Rise & Fall **

**Book 2: Birth of a Jedi**

**Chapter 12: Testing Boundaries

* * *

**

A/N: Greetings to all from Shanesnest! And here's a new chapter of Kyle Katarn: The Rise & Fall, Book 2: Birth of a Jedi. After the late post last week, I decided to post this one early. The interlude between the Sulon and the upcoming Baron's Hed mission continues with a question Kyle is about to pose to Rahn. One can only wonder what it may be. But before we get to that, some shout outs!

Nerwen Aldarion: Thank you so much! After the difficulties of the Sulon mission, this one was a lot more fun to write. You got the Sariss/Jerec scene exactly, the whole rule of two, the apprentice striving to become greater than the master and the master laying the smack down! I have always had some difficult imagining a bright red Star Destroyer. Glad I didn't have paint it! I think Luke and R2 are somewhat closer than Kyle and Wee Gee, but I get what you mean. If you think about, Kyle and Rahn are essentially master and pupil at this stage. Y'know, I debated about the whole lunch scene, but it just seemed to fit. Actually, Jan may be finding out about some things sooner than you think. What, you ask? You'll see. So, my stuff is up there with chocolate, eh? Guess I'm doing well then.

Tinuviel Undomiel: You'll find out in this chapter. Kyle come to rescue? Well, not exactly. You'll see. You're correct about the Ruusan mission, but I won't don't wanna spoil it except to say I think the scene I have it currently is really good. Jan is going to find out some new things soon, prob'ly next chapter, and it will involve the lightsaber.

Manus Dei: You're right, I don't want to wait too long or do it too soon. In the end, it'll come at the right time, I'm pretty sure. You make a good point about battle stress. With access to the power of the Force, what is to keep Kyle from slipping into the Dark Side again. Not too much. In that scene, I was thinking how Yoda said the Dark Side is seductive, presenting Kyle with the image of ultimate power with his partner by his side. Thanks for the compliment!

Nightdew: A delight to hear from you again! Yeah, I had fallen off the map for a while, but am back and strongly committed this time (in more ways than one!). I hope you continue to enjoy the story and welcome back!

A/N: So then, last time Kyle arrived safely back from Sulon and is healing from his latest set of battle wounds. But, even more important that, he has begun to explore the Force and learn how to use the powers contained within. He's also wondering about Jan's status since she is late coming back from her mission and hasn't been heard. We will find out what happens in this chapter, so let's get to it.

* * *

**Quarters of Kyle Katarn**

**Ten Minutes Later**

Arriving back in his room, Kyle sat upon his bed, closed his eyes and began his breathing exercises. Time passed and soon he found himself in the whirlpool of light. A part of him wondered about this idea he had, if it was the right thing to do or not.

He posed the question. A long pause ensued before Rahn answered.

_What you ask is difficult, Kyle. Even for a fully trained Jedi like myself._

_I'm not looking for any specifics here, Rahn. I just want to make sure Jan is alive._

_I understand. The problem lies not in the journey, but in the return. Casting one's mind across the vastness of the galaxy is possible, but if you should lose your way, there is a good chance you will never return._

_I'm not sure I understand, _Kyle thought, _are you saying that my mind can get lost in space?_

_In a sense, yes, _Rahn replied_. The galaxy is a place full of great beauty and wonder, Kyle. Even the strongest Jedi can become distracted by that beauty and lose sight of the path he is on. Once that happens…_

It was becoming abundantly clear to Kyle the true danger of what he was asking. But his concern for Jan was greater than it was for himself.

_I still want to try._

_Very well, _said Rahn, _then you must listen to my voice and do as I say exactly when I say it. Understood?_

_Yes._

_Then let us begin. Reach out with your mind, Kyle. See this ship, see its exterior, its hull, its engines, see all of it._

Kyle concentrated, imagining what the exterior of the _Intrepid_ would look like. And then, with a sensation like he was moving forward rapidly, he saw it.

_Oh my._

_You must stay focused! _

Realizing he was already distracted, Kyle fought to refocus his mind. But it wasn't easy. Before him, situated in the cobalt and velvet carpet was the Star Destroyer, its white hull stark against the void. His eyes roved over it, the thin looking prow, widening out into the rest of the hull. He saw the high conning tower, topping by the ball-like shield generators. The viewed shifted and now he was looking at massive array of engines, glowing blue-white. It was very tempting to get lost in it all.

_I feel the same as you, Kyle. But, if you cannot keep from being distracted, there is no use in continuing._

Feeling as if he had been challenged, Kyle was determined not to lose. He closed his eyes against the spectacular scene and told himself that that the ship was all he would look at, nothing else. When he opened his eyes again, Kyle found a point to focus on, locking his gaze on one of the shield generators. He focused on it, blocking out everything else.

_Good,_ Rahn said, sound pleased, _you have taken the first step. Now, we may move on._

_Tell me what to do, _Kyle thought.

_See in your mind a ship, one about to jump into hyperspace, heading for Drovan system. See your hands on the controls, the course entered in, the ship ready._

It took more effort to comply. But as he focused on the shield generator, Kyle allowed new images to flow into his mind. He saw himself in the cockpit of the _Moldy Crow_, hands on the controls, ready to jump to hyperspace.

_And now, _Rahn instructed, _make the jump. _

In his mind, Kyle imagined his hand activating the hyperdrive. A second later, the sensation of acceleration came again. The space in front of him began to move faster and faster, the stars becoming lines and then finally mere pinpricks flashing by at ever greater speed. The plethora of visual and physical stimuli increased and Kyle began to feel overwhelmed.

_Rahn, it's… too much… can't…_

And then, the sensation of hurtling forward was gone along with the rest. Kyle closed his eyes briefly and when he reopened them, a new region of space lay before him. And though he had never been there before, he somehow knew exactly where he was.

_We're here. We made it!_

_Yes, _Rahn said, sounding a bit surprised, _yes we are. Well done, Kyle._

The operative smiled and was just about to search for what he was looking for when streaks of bright light burst forth from some distance ahead. As he watched, the image became more distinct and clear.

_That's laser fire!_

_Indeed, _said Rahn, _but from what?_

The two of them concentrated all the harder and the sensation of moving forward once again came for a few seconds. But it was all the time needed for Kyle to see what was happening clearly now. And the scene brought with it horror.

Before him, a Lambda-class shuttle dived, turned and weaved as turbolaser fire from a second, much bigger ship streaked across space. And looking at how the shuttle moved, Kyle knew in an instant the pilot had to be Jan.

_She's under attack!_

_Control your feelings, Kyle! There is nothing you can do to help her! Remain calm!_

_But Rahn…_

_Do as I say!_

Feeling as helpless as a newborn, Kyle watched as the shuttle weaved through another curtain of turbolaser fire. Then, he noticed the course the shuttle was taking.

_What is she doing? She's getting close to that behemoth!_

There was no reply from Rahn.

_Jan! Stop! You're too close! They'll fry you with one shot!_

But the shuttle continued its' seemingly suicidal course. And then, to Kyle's stunned surprise, he watched as it flew impossibly close to the other ship, skimming the surface. He also noticed no turbolaser fire pursued it.

_It seems she had a plan in mind all along, _said Rahn, _as close as she is; the other ship can't bring its weapons to bear._

_But what about when she makes a break for space. They'll have her!_

_Perhaps, _said Rahn.

Wishing with all his being to be able to do something, Kyle watched the shuttle fly under the surface of the larger ship, coming out into the open near the rear of the larger ship. Expecting Jan to make a break for it, Kyle was stunned to see the shuttle slow, and then spin around. Laser fire from all eight of its forward facing cannons sliced across space and struck at one of the other ship's main engines.

The attack continued, unabated, until the engine flickered and died. One last volley came from the shuttle and then it whirled 180 degrees, its engines flaring bright blue as it shot ahead. Behind it, the dead engine suddenly exploded. Kyle exulted as the shuttle rode the shockwave of the blast, racing way ahead and out of the range of the other ships' turbolasers. Then, with a flicker of pseduomotion, it was gone.

_All right, Jan! _

_She _is _quite good, _commented Rahn.

And then, as if a cold wind had risen up, both men felt a chill. Though he knew his body was back on the _Intrepid_, Kyle felt himself shiver.

_Rahn, what's going on?_

_I don't know, Kyle. I…_

A new voice was heard, a loud, cackling laughter.

_Jerec,_ Rahn said.

_**I sense your presence in this place, Katarn, and you too, Rahn. Have you finally come to surrender?**_

_In your dreams, Jerec!_

_Be mindful of your feelings, Kyle!_

_**Ah, I see I was right. The young one has the beginnings of the Dark Side in him. **_

_He will not give in to your temptations, Jerec._

_**Temptations, Rahn? I only wish to offer young Katarn the chance his father never had. To know fully who and what he is.**_

_I already know who I am, _said Kyle, _and I know what you are._

_**Indeed, **__purred Jerec, __**are you so sure of this? I only wish…**_

_YOU KILLED MY FATHER, YOU BASTARD!_

_Kyle! No!_

_**You speak the truth, **_said Jerec, _**and now you wish revenge? Good… good. Then come to me, Kyle Katarn. Come find me and we will finish this.**_

Kyle was about to respond when he felt the sense of moving again, but this time backwards. And before he could utter a word, the Drovan system disappeared and was replaced with a view of the _Intrepid. _Seeming to pass into the ship itself, the headlong trip ended with a sudden stop as his mind slipped back into his body.

It felt almost like a physical blow. Kyle's body lurched, his head striking the wall behind him with some force. Reflexively grabbing at his hurting head, he sat up, realizing a moment later that he was drenched in sweat; his breath coming fast and hard. His body felt drained of energy.

_I'm exhausted, _he realized.

Moving to sit up on the bed, Kyle waited until his racing heart had calmed and his breath came and went normally. He wondered about Rahn, and what exactly had happened.

And there was only one way to do that.

_This won't be easy, but I've got to try._

And it was not. It seemed to take forever to get his breathing to the right rhythm and his mind clear enough to reach out. When two tries ended in failure, fear began to rise in him.

"No," he said to himself, "I won't give in. Fear is of the Dark Side."

He tried once more, but every bit of effort he could muster into it, to concentrate, to focus. Minutes later, a feeling of victory ran through him as the kaleidoscope of colors appeared.

_Made it, _he thought, _now, for Rahn._

He called out to the old Jedi with his mind.

_Rahn? Are you there? Are you all right?_

There was no response, but Kyle was determined not to let his concern or deter. He waited a few minutes before calling out again.

_I… am here… Kyle._

The old Jedi sounded very tired.

_What happened?_

_I pulled… us back._

_But why?_

_Because, _Rahn said, putting as much strength into his words as he could, _of you._

_Me?_

_Your anger… Kyle… your anger…it was… out of control. I feared… what… you might do… so I…_

Kyle realized he _did_ feel anger, in combination with his concern for Rahn. He felt anger, anger at Jerec, anger at himself for being so helpless before and anger at Rahn for stopping him.

_You had no right._

_The Force… cannot be… safely wielded… with anger, Kyle. That… is… the… Dark Side._

_But Jerec…!_

_Killed your… father. I know this…. Kyle. All too well… I know it. I… felt it… when Morgan died._

_And you did nothing!_

_Jerec's power… was too great. I… could not… oppose him._

_You mean you were too weak!_

_This is pointless… Kyle. This is… what I warned… you against. Your anger._

The last sentence struck a chord in the operative. He remembered the conversation with Rahn, telling him that he wasn't worried about his anger, that he had it under control.

_I don't exactly have it under control now, do I?_

Realizing what he was thinking, what he was saying in his mind, Kyle felt shame. His face grew hot.

_Rahn, I… I'm sorry. I didn't realize…_

_It… is all right, Kyle. Many… before you… fell into this same trap._

_I've got to do better. I can't let this happen again._

_You will, Kyle, _Rahn said confidently, his voice stronger now. _You are already learning. Now, we must both rest. I imagine your Jan will be back soon and there will be much to discuss._

_You're right._

And with that, Kyle allowed himself to surrender to the tiredness. Shifting position, he lay down on the bed. Just before drifting off, he managed one last thought.

_Thank you, Rahn. Thank you for not giving up on me._

There was no reply. But Kyle could feel the old Jedi's smile as he drifted into sleep.

* * *

**Rebel Command Ship **_**Intrepid**_

**Mon Mothma's Briefing Room**

**Mid morning of the next day**

"What do you mean she's not coming back yet?" asked Kyle.

Mon Mothma said nothing, giving him a strong look.

"Sorry," he said, "I just thought…"

"I understand your concern, Kyle. But the fact remains that Jan is safe and well along with rest of her team. And once their hyperdrive is repaired, they should be arriving this same time tomorrow."

Though much of what Mon Mothma said earlier had glossed over him, Kyle _had_ understood that Jan's shuttle had sustained some damage from an attack by an unknown ship. And though she had been able to make the jump to hyperspace, the hyperdrive had been hit, necessitating a sooner than normal exit. Fortunately, she had come back into realspace only a few light years away from where a small Alliance fleet had been patrolling.

Having reached the command ship on the shuttle's communicator, it had a little more than 2 hours before Jan and her team had been picked up by the Calamari cruiser _New Destiny_. The commander of the vessel had reported that Commander Ors and crew all seemed in need of rest, but were otherwise in good shape.

"Well as long as they're all safe, I suppose another day doesn't matter," Kyle concluded.

"Perhaps," Mon Mothma said, "but I am most curious to hear Jan's report. Obviously, there is some kind of activity in the Drovan system that we have been heretofore unawares."

"Especially that ship that attacked her," Kyle ventured.

"Precisely, "the Rebel leader said, "There have been no reports of Imperial ships in that area, which leads to the question of what it is and who it belongs to."

"You know, you could order the _Intrepid _to go and get Jan so you'd know sooner."

"I _could_, "Mon Mothma said, "but such an action would be out of the norm. I don't want rumors of unfounded concerns to begin spreading."

"Good point," Kyle said.

"In any case, the central point is we all will have to be patient a while longer."

Kyle nodded.

"Which brings me to you, Kyle. How are you?"

"Getting better," he said honestly, "although truth be told, I think I'm actually getting used to this thing."

He held the cane up.

"I am more concerned about your _status_," Mon Mothma pressed.

"Right," he said, "according to Doctor Berth, I'll be able to return to duty in four more days."

Mon Mothma considered this.

"A bit longer that I would prefer, but acceptable. Is there anything else?"

There was plenty, but nothing Kyle was ready to discuss.

"No, ma'am."

"Very well, then. Dismissed."

Walking out of the briefing room, his communicator began to chime. He pulled it off his belt and flipped the "receive" switch.

"Katarn here."

"Kyle? This is Zetton Wineglass."

It took him a moment to remember.

"Oh, yes, Wineglass. What's up?"

"Do you remember that research you asked me to conduct on a Jedi named Qu Rahn?"

"Sure."

"Well, I've come across some interesting findings. If you have some time, I'd like to show them to you."

"All right," he replied, "where and when?"

"My office, Deck 16, Section 4, in about 30 minutes?"

"I'll be there."

Clicking off, Kyle went to find a repulsor scooter. He was eager to learn what Wineglass had found out.

* * *

**Rebel Command Ship **_**Intrepid**_

**Deck 16, Section 4**

**35 minutes later**

Kyle finally found the door he was looking for. "Data Storage & Analysis, Archival Storage, Room 1".

Stepping off the scooter, he walked to the door and pressed a key on the control panel.

"Yes?" said the voice of the archivist from the small speaker.

"Wineglass, it's me, Kyle."

"Just a moment."

The door slid aside, allowing Kyle to enter. He quickly found that the normal looking door belied the size of the room inside. The far wall was at least 400 feet away and at least that wide, he estimated. But even so, the majority of the cavernous space was filled with bank after bank of computer panels, a thin margin of space between them. He also noticed the room was cold, enough that he could see his breath.

"Kyle?"

He turned to see Wineglass waving at him from a small office about halfway down the right hand wall. Walking that way, he fought the urge to shiver. It was definitely growing colder the deeper he walked into the room.

"In here," Wineglass said, ushering him into the office.

Stepping in, Kyle felt as if he had crossed a barrier between cold and warm air. By the time Wineglass closed the door, he felt fairly comfortable.

"The Imperials provided the ideal cooling apparatus needed to keep all these terminals running at peak efficiency," she explained, "but they neglected to consider the needs of the operators. Hence, that."

She pointed to a corner of the room where a small, but powerful heater was churning out hot air that was quickly reduced to comfortable warmth what with the cold air pressing in from outside.

"And this is where you work?" Kyle asked.

"For the most part, yes," Wineglass replied, shrugging. "I've gotten used to it. Besides, this environment provides me with no distractions, allowing me to really focus on my work."

Kyle looked around the space.

_No way I could ever stand this._

"So, what did you find?"

"Ah, you get right to the point," Wineglass said, smiling, "I like that. "

She sat down at the single terminal in the room, indicating Kyle should take the only other chair. Reaching to the small table the terminal sat on, she retrieved a pair of eyeglasses sitting there. With her free hand, she gathered the hair away from her ears, carefully looping the tips over her them before letting the hair fall back into place. Noticing Kyle's curious look at her, she answered his unspoken question.

"I use them for reading mostly. You wouldn't believe how tiny some of the print I work with can get."

"If there's a problem with your eyes, I'm sure one of the doctors on board could fix them," he observed.

Wineglass shook her head.

"No, I think not. These glasses were a gift from a dear friend who used to live on Alderaan."

_Ouch._

"I'm sorry," he said quickly, "I didn't mean to…"

She waved away his apology and launched into her presentation before he could say more.

"Qu Rahn," she began, "born on the planet Socorro 60 years before the Battle of Yavin. His Jedi abilities were detected when he was just an infant and he was given over to the Jedi for training two years later. The records are somewhat incomplete, but it appears he was trained by a Jedi Master named Yoda and rose to the rank of Jedi Knight very quickly."

"A star pupil," Kyle observed.

Wineglass nodded, continuing. "Given what I've learned of the Jedi and their Order during the days of the Old Republic, you're not far off. Sometimes it would take years and in rare cases, decades for individuals to rise to the rank of Jedi Knight. The records indicate that the Jedi had very high standards.

_Makes me wonder about my being one, _Kyle thought.

Wineglass continued. "Twenty-two years before the Battle of Yavin, it is reported that Rahn served as part of the Galactic Senate investigating Separatist terrorists. He was then made part of the Jedi armies dispatched all over the galaxy to try and quell the Separatist threat. When Palpatine seized power and ordered the extermination of the Jedi, records indicate that Rahn was among the few who survived the attack by the clone troopers and then disappeared to who knows where."

Wineglass paused for a moment, turned to Kyle.

"Is any of this helping?"

"Yes," he said emphatically, "yes it is. I heard about Order 66 when I was at the Imperial Academy. But the story we were told was that the Jedi were the ones who revolted and the clone troopers acted to stop them from rising in rebellion."

Wineglass shook her head in disbelief. "And of course no one questioned it," she observed.

Kyle shrugged. "Why would anyone? There was no reason to, at least at the time."

"It never ceases to amaze me," said Wineglass, "how some people try to twist history to their own devices."

"The history books are always written by the winners," offered Kyle.

"True," Wineglass admitted, "well, here's where things get interesting."

"They already are," Kyle said.

Wineglass smiled at the compliment. "There wasn't much in the archives concerning Rahn from the time of the Jedi Purge or for that matter, on _any_ of the Jedi."

"You can thank the Imperials for that."

"I know," Wineglass said, looking pained, "Palpatine had so much destroyed, so many stories, so much history. Fortunately, he didn't get everything. Recovered fragments discovered on Coruscant two years ago tell of several Jedi fleeing for parts unknown, including Rahn. Where we went wasn't perfectly clear, but the name Dagobah was mentioned."

"Never heard of it," Kyle said.

"Nor I," replied Wineglass, "I did find it on a star chart. It's an Outer Rim world and pretty much forgotten. Topographical scans show a jungle world not terribly hospitable to humans."

"So if this information is true," Kyle said, "is there any indication of _why_ Rahn went there?"

Wineglass shook her head. "None that I could find. It wasn't until two years after this that Rahn's actual existence was confirmed. An Imperial group tasked with collecting any and all information on Jedi and passing it directly on to Palpatine reported that Rahn was seen on the planet Sulon. Their report specified that he was seeking out one Morgan Katarn. Your father, I believe."

"I see," Kyle said. _That explains how they found him later._

"A probe droid was dispatched to the planet and recorded the two men talking outside the main building. It was able to record part of the conversation and marked the mention of a place called the Valley of the Jedi, which Morgan Katarn seemed to know about and Rahn wished to learn of. About four days later, spaceport control recorded a ship leaving the planet."

Wineglass paused, turning to Kyle. "You knew about none of this, I'm guessing."

"I was already at the Academy," he said, "cadets weren't afforded a lot of time for personal comms."

Wineglass nodded. "Well, here's where things get even more interesting. Unconfirmed reports from the probe droid suggested that Rahn left a lightsaber in the possession of Morgan Katarn, although Katarn himself was not a Jedi. "

"Unconfirmed?" Kyle asked.

"It seems that your father discovered the droid and blasted it."

"Did he now?"

"The receiving station accepting the telemetry from the droid reported a sudden termination of communications about an hour after spaceport control recorded Rahn's departure."

_The droid must have tried getting closer to the house and Father spotted it._

He smiled as he imagined Morgan Katarn, blaster held in a two handed grip, firing on the probe droid.

"Something wrong?" Wineglass asked.

"No, nothing, "replied Kyle, "it's just my father didn't care for violence, except when, as he put it, events made it necessary."

"I'd say an Imperial probe droid on his land would qualify," Wineglass observed.

Kyle nodded as she continued.

"Now check this out. The same listening post monitoring the probe droid later detected a transmission from a person later identified as Rahn to our very own Mon Mothma."

"Mon Mothma?" Kyle echoed, "Are you sure?"

"The Imperial voiceprint match was reported with 97% confidence," Wineglass read off the screen.

"Well," he said, "that was something I wasn't expecting. Is there more?"

"Not too much," Wineglass said," the last report I was able to find on Rahn suggested that he had left known space for somewhere on the Outer Rim."

_Just like he told me, _Kyle thought_._

"So what do you think?" Wineglass asked.

"First off," Kyle said, "I think you're one heck of a researcher. You found a lot more than I was expecting."

Wineglass smiled. "I aim to please."

"Well, you did," Kyle said, "I also think there's more to this story. My father knew about this valley you mentioned and for Rahn, a Jedi Knight, curious enough about it to seek him out… it makes me wonder about this place. Any info on it?"

Wineglass shook her head.

"One last question if I may?"

"Sure," she said.

"In your research, did you find any mention of someone named Jerec?"

The dark look on Wineglass face was all the answer Kyle needed.

He sat back in the chair as she began to tell him.

* * *

**Rebel Command Ship **_**Intrepid**_

**Quarters of Kyle Katarn**

**1 a.m., ship's time**

Kyle staggered into the room, so tired that just holding his eyes open required an effort. He and Wineglass had talked for several more hours as Kyle learned more about Jerec and in concert with that, Rahn as well. At the end, when he had finally left the office, he found himself amazed by the woman's stamina. Where he felt completely exhausted, she seemed perfectly alert.

_She definitely has a passion for her job. Probably explains why she's still going when I'm fading away. _

All but collapsing onto his bed, Kyle turned to look at Wee Gee as the droid beeped a soft inquiry.

"I'm okay, Weeg, just really, really tired. But I found out some important and interesting things today. I'll tell you in the morning."

The droid replied with a soft chirrup before shutting itself down.

Lying back on his bed, Kyle's eyes closed as if weights had been attached to them. But tired as he was, his mind was still replaying parts of the presentations from Wineglass.

_Rahn, _he thought, _I had no idea. You've been through so much. Makes me feel twice as bad for all the times I've been mean to you._

_My life was lived for the service of others, Kyle, _Rahn replied in his mind.

_But what about you? Who was there for you?_

He heard the old Jedi chuckle.

_If Master Yoda heard you speak thus, he would soundly chastise you and say that we all live to serve others, not to be served by them. I have few regrets about my life, Kyle. Perhaps the biggest of them was my not being able to save your father from Jerec. Had I had any inkling of his intent, I would have been there, by your father's side. _

_I believe you, _Kyle replied, _I got the feeling you and my father were close._

_He was perhaps the truest friend I ever had. He never questioned my intent or motives when I asked him about the Valley. He merely related the story to me, and then invited me to stay over for the night. He was perhaps the most unassuming man I'd ever known. And I truly, truly miss him._

_Me too,_ Kyle thought, his eyes beginning to sting a little.

_But, when all is someday done, Kyle, you may find that you have saved your father._

_Huh? What did you say?_

_Something to be discussed later, my friend. For now, you must rest._

And then, Kyle felt as if something touched his mind. A whispered word, a memory of days gone by and then he was asleep, his dreams full of memories of his boyhood on Sulon.

* * *

**Rebel Command Ship **_**Intrepid**_

**The Next Day**

Kyle stopped by Sickbay in the morning and after a thorough examination, Doctor Berth looked up from the results and smiled.

"Things are coming along well, Kyle. The musculature is healing well and the connective tissues are all showing excellent progress."

He pointed to the cane.

"I'd say you won't need that in another few days."

"What about workouts?" Kyle asked.

Berth frowned, considering the request. "Some light exercise should be fine, but nothing strenuous. You're still healing. Push too hard and you could end up right back in here."

The operative nodded gravely. "Don't worry, doc. I'll be careful."

"You'd better be," the doctor said.

Leaving Sickbay, Kyle headed off for a late breakfast, checking his chrono as he arrived in the mess hall. Jan's ship was due at 1435 hours, which left an interval from now of about three hours. Standing in line, he was contemplating what to order when a voice called out.

"Well, hello there, Kyle."

"How are you feeling today?"

Turning round, he felt a smile come to his face, already knowing who it was.

"Y'know, they way you two show up at times, I'm beginning to think you're stalking me."

Tinuviel Undomiel and Nerwen Aldarion looked at each other, eyebrows rising at the same time as they turned to look at Kyle.

"And what if we were?" they said together, their doubly serious looks boring into him.

"Okay!" he exclaimed, "scary."

"That's right," said Tinuviel.

"And you'd better not forget it," added Nerwen.

"All right then," Kyle said, realizing that he been completely one-upped. He started to turn back around.

"Oh c'mon!" Nerwen exclaimed.

"We were just kidding," added Tinuviel.

Kyle continued to eye them, not sure what to say next.

"Oh boy," said Tinuviel, "I think we really scared him."

"Well, he started it," observed Nerwen.

"True," concluded Tinuviel, "but seriously Kyle…"

"… we really _were_ just kidding," finished Nerwen.

He turned to face them again.

"I knew that," he said.

When the twins said nothing, he added, "I _did!_"

"Suuuurrreee," they said together.

And then the three broke into laughter.

Filling their respective trays, the trio headed for table, Tinuviel taking his tray while Nerwen took the hand not holding the cane.

"I told you before this isn't necessary," said Kyle.

When Nerwen didn't answer, the operative did the only thing he could, he gave in.

When all three were seated much as they were the day before, the twins launched into an interrogation of sorts.

"So," said Tinuviel, "Jan's coming back today."

"Did you hear?"asked Nerwen.

Kyle nodded.

"So what do you think?" asked Tinuviel.

"Yes," echoed Nerwen, "what do you think?"

Confused by the question, Kyle hesitated before answering.

"Think about what?"

"About Jan coming back," said Nerwen.

"What do you think about that?" repeated Tinuviel.

Sensing that he was stepping into a trap-laden area, Kyle considered his words carefully before answering.

"Well, I'm glad," he said, "I'm glad she's coming back and I look forward to seeing her."

The twins stared at him for a moment before asking in unison, "Is that all?"

_I was right!_

"What more is there?" he countered.

Realizing that their prey had seen the net, the twins tried again.

"We just thought…" Tinuviel began.

"….That you might be worried about her," concluded Nerwen.

_Nice try, ladies._

"Sure I am," he said honestly, "the same way Jan worries about me during a mission. You hope nothing happens and the other person comes back safe and well."

"And that's all?" asked Tinuviel.

"There's nothing else?" added Nerwen.

Kyle shrugged. "Well, I'd _really _like to know what caused her to miss the comm checkpoint. That's not like Jan."

The twins looked at each other again, then back at Kyle. They shared the same thought.

_All right, Kyle. You've won, _this _time._

Finishing their meals, Tinuviel and Nerwen excused themselves to return to their duty stations. Kyle watched them go, a satisfied smile on his face.

_Maybe next time, ladies._

However, he was left wondering if somehow news of his and Jan's relationship had somehow gotten out. They had done their best to be careful and not let anyone know. But now…

_Once things settle down, I'll need to tell her about this. See what she thinks._

That decided, Kyle rose from his seat and, after cleaning his tray off and depositing it with a pile of other used trays, he made his way out of the mess hall. A check of his chrono showed there was still time for a brief meditation session before Jan's ship was due to arrive.

* * *

**Rebel Command Ship **_**Intrepid**_

**Hangar Bay**

**1430 Hours**

Sitting in the rear cockpit of the _Moldy Crow_, Kyle was in the midst of a systems diagnostic. He had been at work for nearly two hours now; needing something to do to distract his mind from Jan's impending arrival. Though he believed she was all right, a part of his heart long to see her, to confirm what his mind was saying. He also noticed that Wexter either hadn't or forgotten to fix the torn front seat cover in the cockpit. Kyle shook his head, imagining Jan's reaction when she saw it.

Just then, the _Crow_'s comm panel lit up.

"Kyle? You there?"

Looking up from the diagnostic reader, he flipped a switch on the comm panel.

"Right here, Puan."

"Are you busy right now?"

The question was so simple Kyle was tempted for a moment to retort sarcastically that performing a system diagnostic would mean he _was_ busy. But even as the words ran across his mind, he rejected them. He doubted the Quarren would tease him like that, especially now.

"A little," he said, "I'm almost done checking over the targeting sensors. You need something?"

"Just thought I'd let you know Jan's ship is on final approach, in case you were interested."

Kyle lifted an eyebrow. Perhaps he had underestimated the Quarren.

"ETA?" he asked, keeping any hint of anxiety out of his voice.

"Approximately five minutes. But if you're busy…"

Moving with quick, precise steps, Kyle disconnected the diagnostic computer and shut the inspection panel.

"Not anymore," he said.

From the speaker came the hangar officer's strange sounding laughter.

_Just you wait, Puan, _Kyle thought, smiling to himself.

Being careful not to exert his left leg, Kyle climbed out of the cockpit, using the handholds to reach the deck. After retrieving his cane from where it hung from the _Crow_'s starboard wing, he began to make his way across the bay to the area directly across from the spacedoors. Positioning himself on the railed platform just in front of the main landing area, he found Doctor Berth there, along with a medical team.

The two men nodded at each other, not saying anything. Outside the void of space normally visible was partly obscured as the Lambda-class shuttle came into view, it's normally white hull looking almost gray. As it passed through the forcefield shielding the hangar bay from the vacuum of space, its wings began to fold up, revealing an ugly blaster scar along one of them.

The shuttle drew closer, and more marks of laser fire became visible on its hull, one especially large wound near the engines. Landing skids extended as the shuttle settled to the deck with a last burst from the repulsors and a muted thump. The whole ship seemed to sigh as it came to rest. Berth and his staff were already moving, heading towards the shuttle as the boarding descended from underneath its nose.

A minute later, the first of the crew began to exit. Kyle watched as they filed out, looking well for the most part, but tired. In fact, he realized, they all seemed tired. It made him wonder exactly what had happened beyond on the mission beyond what the Force vision had shown him.

And then, a few paces behind the last crewer, came the person he wanted to see most.

Stepping out from under the nose of the shuttle, Jan looked as tired as the rest of her team. Her brown hair was askew and sticking out at odd angles. Her uniform was spotted with grease and dirt, suggesting that she had been at work on the ship. Her eyes swept across the bay, taking in the scene before her. And then, she saw Kyle. Their gazes locked for only a few seconds, though it seemed like much longer to them. Jan directed the briefest of smiles in his direction and then looked away, moving with the rest of her team to where the medical staff was.

Deciding that remaining in the bay might prove to be a distraction to Jan, Kyle turned and walked away. The last thing either of them needed was to provoke unneeded speculation. Besides, he had seen what he had wished to see. Jan was back. And though he did not see or hear from her for the rest of the day, it didn't worry him in the slightest. Right now, Jan needed to rest and recover. There would be time later.

* * *

**Rebel Command Ship **_**Intrepid**_

**Mess Hall**

**1030 Hours the following day**

Kyle sat in the chair at his table, lingering a while even though his breakfast was recently finished. This morning, he had worked out for the first time in several days and while his body had responded well, he had experienced some soreness and stiffness afterwards.

_Well, that's what happens when you go crazy all out, and then do nothing for a while._

And right now, sitting in this chair felt comfortable enough that he really didn't feel like moving.

His communicator dinged for attention.

_Never fails,_ he thought, sighing.

Pulling the device off his belt, he spoke into it.

"Katarn here."

"Kyle, this is Mon Mothma. I wonder if you have some time to come to the briefing room."

_Why now?_

"Sure, Mon Mothma," he replied, "anything wrong?"

"Very good," the Rebel leader said, "I will see you here shortly then."

And then, the transmission ended. Feeling a bit puzzled by this, Kyle rose, reluctantly, from his chair and headed for the exit. Whatever it was Mon Mothma wanted to see him about, he reasoned that she must not want it said over an open channel.

* * *

Summoned to the briefing room for reasons unknown? What could be in store? Please tune in next week for Chapter 13!


	13. Chapter 13: Things Revealed

**Kyle Katarn: The Rise & Fall **

**Book 2: Birth of a Jedi**

**Chapter 13: Debriefings & Other Happenings

* * *

**

A/N: Greetings to all on this almost Friday evening. Here is already October 1st, 29 days to Halloween and about 80 days till Christmas. The holidays cometh! But for now, we have some breathing room and so I bring you Chapter 13 of Kyle Katarn: The Rise & Fall, Book 2: Rise of a Jedi. And before that begins, some shout outs to my wonderful reviewers!

Mac h Farcon: Thanks for the compliment, glad you're enjoying! Oh yeah, definitely long talk ahead and things are going to hit the fan, many things

Nerwen Aldarion: Hmmm, I'm not sure whether to be pleased or afraid, maybe a little of both. Yeah, I worried the Force vision might be too much too soon, but guess not! You see it exactly, Kyle is kinda like Luke in that he feels the Force, but cannot control it well or his own emotions. And as we all know, emotions are one of the keys to the Dark Side. The Wineglass was challenging in that I wanted her to sound like a competent researcher without being a droning lecturer. Bringing you two into the scene in the mess hall just seem to fit so well, I'm glad you liked it! Well, the reason for Jan not going to Kyle yet is partly their collective desire to not let anyone be wise to their relationship. Don't worry, they've got some alone time coming.

Tinuviel Undomiel: You'll find out in this chapter. I think you're probably right; Jan and Kyle's relationship is probably the worst kept secret in all the New Republic. I'd like Jan to meet Rahn too; I just have to figure out a way to do it that makes sense. Kyle may meet Luke in time, I haven't decided yet. Jerec is truly the perfect bad guy, at one moment very suave and sophisticated and the next a cold-blooded killer.

Manus Dei: Yes, Kyle's issues with his anger will continue to be a problem, much as it was for Luke.

Tig94: Good to see ya back! Kyle being a Jedi will be revealed in time, but it needs to be the right time, otherwise the whole scene will totally suck!

Crime Scene Fairy: Welcome aboard! Always delighted to have a new reviewer! Appreciate you taking the time to drop me a line, as it were. Y'know, you have a point about the mental battle, maybe Kyle suffers from Jedi migraines! Wineglass is actually one of my other reviewers that I decided to make part of the story and the whole scene there was to establish her character as a solid researcher. Glad you liked it! That's okay, you can call 'em the Twins or by their names, I think they're cool with either way. Truth be told, Tinuviel and Nerwen have been two of biggest supporters and encouragers since I first started writing this story. Thank you so much for the compliments! Hope you like this chapter too! And please keep reviewing!

A/N: And there we go! The story marches on as Kyle is summoned to the briefing room by Mon Mothma. But for what? Let's find out!

* * *

**Rebel Command Ship **_**Intrepid**_

**Mon Mothma's Briefing Room**

**Fifteen Minutes Later**

The doors parted and Kyle stepped into the room, his cane clicking on the floor as he walked.

"Sorry I took so long," he said, "I couldn't…"

"_What _happened to you?" a voice asked emphatically.

Looking ahead, he saw Mon Mothma seated at the table with the owner of the voice seated opposite. Except now that person had risen from her chair; her eyes wide and her expression a combination of surprise and disbelief.

"It's not _that_ bad; Jan. Doctor Berth says I'm…"

"Try again, Katarn," she said, cutting him off, her blue eyes flashing.

_Okay,_ he thought, _guess that one didn't fly. Only one option left. _

Moving to the table, he took the closest seat and sat down, Jan's eyes following him the whole way, seeming to say, "I'm waiting".

"I got hit in the leg," he said, "blaster wound to the calf. Doctor Berth has fixed the damage and says I'll be fine in a couple days. But, I have to use this."

He held up the cane.

Jan stared at him for a long moment, and then shook her head. "I _knew_ I shouldn't have let you go off alone."

"It could have been a lot worse, Jan," Kyle said, "frankly, I think that I…"

"Katarn," she said grimly.

"Yes, Jan," he replied, knowing what was coming next.

"In any case," Mon Mothma said, stepping into the conversation, "the fact remains that Kyle completed his mission on Sulon and returned safely."

"Completed his mission?" Jan asked, turning to Kyle. "What did you find?"

"Perhaps it would be easier to show you, Jan," Mon Mothma interjected. To Kyle she said, "If you would…"

He nodded, pulling his communicator out. "Weeg? Can you hear me?"

A string of beeps and whistles issued from the speaker.

Hearing this, Jan looked to Kyle, then to the communicator and back again.

_Did I just hear what I think I did? _

"Okay," Kyle said into the communicator," but right now, I need you here. Can you home in on my signal?"

Two beeps issued from the speaker.

"As soon as you can," Kyle answered, "and Weeg; this comes directly from Mon Mothma."

A beep, followed by a whistle issued from the speaker.

"Good, see you soon."

As Kyle returned the communicator to his belt, Jan all but exploded at him.

"Okay, Katarn, explain what just happened."

"Huh?"

"That transmission," she said, "explain it."

His brows drew together. "I don't know what you mean."

"Since when do you speak R2?"

"Oh," Kyle said, getting it, "well, if you can wait about one minute, I can show you."

Shortly before the time was up, the door chime rang.

"Enter," Mon Mothma called.

The door opened and in floated Wee Gee. Rising to his feet, Kyle stepped over to stand next to the droid.

"Jan, this is Wee Gee. Weeg, meet Jan Ors."

The droid issued a short string of beeps.

"He says he's pleased to meet you."

More beeps, followed by a whistle.

"Weeg…" he said warningly.

The sounds were repeated.

"She's not going to like it."

"What is it?" Jan asked, curious.

"You don't want to know," Kyle said quickly.

Wee Gee repeated the message a third time.

"No, she won't like it."

"Kyle," Mon Mothma, "what did the droid say?"

"Mon Mothma, I really don't think…"

"Consider my request an order, Kyle."

He sighed. "Fine, just don't shoot the messenger."

Jan raised an eyebrow at him. "Just tell us, Katarn."

Looking uncomfortable, Kyle took a deep breath before speaking. "Weeg said he's pleased to meet such a good looking broad."

Jan's cheeks colored and Mon Mothma barely stifled a laugh.

"See, Weeg? Look what you've done now."

The droid beeped a question.

"Because it's a rude thing to say. You should remember what happened before."

Unable to keep a smile from her face, Mon Mothma asked.

"And what was that?"

Kyle sighed. "Wee Gee said something similar to my mother once. My father removed his vocabulator and didn't replace it for two weeks."

That did it. Mon Mothma erupted into laughter, soon joined by Jan, even though she felt embarrassed by the droid's comment. Kyle said nothing, taken aback by the reaction, having expected an angrier one.

When the women finally got themselves under control, Mon Mothma was the first to speak.

"Kyle, I _am _curious as to how you understand what Wee Gee is saying."

He shrugged. "I've been around him for years. It did take a little time at first, but eventually I learned to translate most of what he says."

Wee Gee whistled something.

Kyle rolled his eyes. "_Sure_ you are, Weeg."

"What did he say?" asked Jan.

"That it's because he's very articulate."

This brought on more laughter.

"Oh my," Mon Mothma said, wiping tears from her eyes, "it has been some time since I have had such cause to laugh. Thank you, Wee Gee."

The droid responded.

"Was that a 'you're welcome'?" Jan asked.

Kyle nodded.

Jan stared at the droid for a moment, then asked, "So is this the reason you went to Sulon."

Kyle nodded again. "It turned out that disc 8t88 had _was_ one of my Father's old message discs."

"So there _was_ something on it after all," Mon Mothma observed.

"Yes there was," Kyle replied, and then turned to the droid. "Play the message, Weeg."

The holoprojector lens just below the droid's photoreceptor came alive, turning and whirring before a light shone forth from it. The image of Morgan Katarn, Kyle's father, appeared and began speaking.

They all watched until the elder Katarn finished with,"Use it for good." With that, the message faded as Wee Gee's holo projector went dark. No one said anything for a long moment, the women digesting what they had just seen.

"Kyle," Mon Mothma asked, "is this all true?"

He nodded. "Unfortunately, the map Father mentioned is gone. When I got to the house, I spotted a group of three people removing sections of the roof over the workshop."

"Then the map was destroyed?" asked Jan.

"I don't think so," he replied, "this group, whoever they were, loaded the pieces onto a hovercart and then took them aboard a black Lambda-class shuttle."

Jan eyes widened at the mention of the craft.

"Something?" Kyle asked.

Mon Mothma interjected. "We will discuss that in time. But more importantly, Kyle, do you have the second item mentioned in the message?"

"Weeg?"

The same panel popped open on the droid's body and the black and silver shaft came out. Kyle took it.

Mon Mothma's eyes went wide for a moment and then her expression assumed the look of someone seeing something familiar.

"Does it still function?" she asked.

In response, Kyle pressed the activation button. With a _snap-hiss_, the emerald green extended from the handle.

"What is it?" Jan asked.

"_That_," Mon Mothma said, "is a lightsaber. Back in the days of the Old Republic, it was both the symbol and preferred weapon of the Jedi Knights."

"A lightsaber?" echoed Jan.

Having risen from her seat, Mon Mothma stepped over to where Kyle was. She held out a hand.

"May I…?"

"Sure," Kyle said, pressing the same button again. The green shaft made a sound as it retracted back into the hilt. He handed it to her.

Mon Mothma took the black and silver hilt, handling it with great care, her eyes roving over its surface.

"I had not thought I would ever see one of these again," she said.

Jan moved next to her, also studying the weapon. When Mon Mothma handed it to her, she closely examined the shaft before finding the activation button.

"Is this how you turn it on?" she said, pressing it.

The _snap-hiss _came again as the green blade reappeared, and nearly cleaved Kyle's skull in two. An instant before the shaft sprung forth, something told him to move, and so he did. Still, it was close.

"Watch it, Jan!" he exclaimed, "That beam is pure energy! You almost skewered me!"

A frightened look came into her eyes. She quickly swung the blade up, pointing it at the ceiling.

"Sorry," she said quickly.

"Maybe you'd better give that back," Kyle said, holding out a hand.

Her expression changed, becoming defiant.

"I can handle it," she said. Moving with more care, Jan tried move the blade around, hearing the sound as it cut the air."

"Please be careful, Jan," Mon Mothma warned.

"I am," she said, turning to look at the older woman. And as she did, the saber blade swung down, heading directly for Wee Gee. An electronic scream came from the droid as it backed away as fast as it repulsors would allow. Startled, Jan wasn't able to act in time and the blade, missing Wee Gee by inches, struck the floor, slicing through it.

Quickly, Kyle was beside her, reaching to take the saber from her, turning it off as he did so. And as quickly as it had begun, it was over, that is except for the blackened hole in the floor.

Tempted to say something, Kyle looked to Jan. She was looking down at the hole as well and her expression said it all. He knew there was no need to say anything. Jan was already scolding herself. And apparently, Mon Mothma saw it as well.

"Well," the Rebel leader said, a small smile on her face, "I suppose I'll have to have that repaired."

The levity didn't reach Jan, who looked to them both with a haunted expression.

"I'm sorry," she said in a low voice.

"It's okay, Jan," Kyle said, "It's not like you've ever handled a lightsaber before. Things happen."

"Indeed," Mon Mothma said, "The important thing is, no one was hurt."

Even Wee Gee, having known Jan for only a few minutes, floated over and extended his heavy manipulator arm, reaching up to pat her on the head as three beeps and a whistle-honk issued from his vocabulator.

"What was that?" asked Jan.

"Weeg says he doesn't mind that you tried to kill him and he'll never call you a broad ever again."

Relieved laughter broke the cloud of tension in the room.

A few minutes later, the three were seated at the table. Mon Mothma sent a request and soon after, a 3P0 type droid arrived carrying a tray with three steaming mugs of caf. Wee Gee attempted to greet the other droid, who pointedly ignored him. When it had left, he offered an opinion of the encounter.

"Snob, huh?" Kyle said, "Well, not all droids are as outgoing as you, Weeg."

The droid then looked in Mon Mothma's direction and beeped something.

"What was that?" she asked.

"Weeg has been exploring the ship since shortly after we got here. He wants to know if that's okay with you."

Mon Mothma stared at the droid a moment, and then smiled. "You can explore as much as you want, Wee Gee. But, please stay away from any secure or classified areas, all right?"

The droid gave a single beep, then a whistle.

"He agrees," Kyle translated.

"Very well, then," Mon Mothma said, "You are dismissed for now, Wee Gee. But be ready in case I need to speak with you again."

The droid gave a confirming beep, then turned and floated away, exiting the room. When he was gone, Mon Mothma looked to Kyle.

"He is a most unique droid."

"Yes, he is," Jan confirmed.

"I agree," Kyle said, "sometimes, he's more like a person than a machine."

"So then," Mon Mothma said, taking a sip of caf, "let us begin with your mission, Kyle. And then I want to hear from you, Jan."

Nodding, Kyle began with the unexpected reunion with Hoxel Nuvton, and then moved on to describe the scene outside the house with the black shuttle and his subsequent battles inside and outside the dwelling. Still unsure about telling anyone about his Force abilities, he carefully edited out those parts. As expected, Jan gave him a look when he described the "pool".

"You went swimming?" she asked, looking disbelievingly at him.

"I _had_ to," he said defensively, and then described the underground passage to the switch room, which allowed him access to the next part of the property.

Jan shook her head. "Swimming," she muttered.

The tale continued as Kyle described finding his father's workshop and Wee Gee as well as listening to the message. From there, he described his adventures through the tunnels and water channels, pausing for a moment as he reached a certain point.

"That's when I got hit in the leg," he said, "my shield was too low on power and the Tuskens managed enough concentrated fire to get through it.

Jan gave him a concerned look, her expression saying she could only imagine how he had felt. Her eyes went wide again as Kyle described having to use the lightsaber to slice through a grate and then being unceremoniously thrown out on the side of the one channel.

"Why didn't you send a signal right there and then?" she asked, all but glaring at him.

"I was underground," he explained, "there's no way it would have gotten through."

The expressions on both women's face grew more drawn as he told them of getting out of the underground channel and then the ride he took down the one waterslide.

"Waterslide?" Jan asked.

Kyle shrugged, continuing his tale through the other places until he reached the point where he had found the large cargo vehicle.

"It took me some time to figure out the switch for the door was actually on the upper level. And once I got it open, I went outside, found a spot to wait and activated the signal."

Jan shook her head again.

"I knew I shouldn't have let you go alone."

"Well, it's not like you had a choice," Kyle said, "Besides, Wexter responded to my signal pretty fast."

Jan gave him a look.

"In any case," he continued, "Wexter picked me up and after a quick stop at the spaceport to pick up Wee Gee, we headed here."

Mon Mothma nodded once, and then said, "Very well then. While I would tend to agree with Jan on this, Kyle, it does seem that you had little to no warning of the opposition arrayed against you. Still, I would have preferred that you had retreated and called in backup before continuing. The New Republic has enough dead heroes."

"Believe me," said Kyle, "if I'd had _any_ idea it was going to be such a mess, I would have called in sooner."

Now it was Mon Mothma who gave him a look.

"Jan," she said after a moment, "I would like to hear your mission report next. But before that, let us break for lunch. We shall reconvene at 1400 hours."

Kyle stole a glance at his chrono and felt shocked. The three of them had been in the room for nearly three hours.

_No wonder Mon Mothma wants a break._

Rising from the table, he and Jan strode the door, Kyle a few steps behind her. Once they were outside the door, she rounded on him, an angry look on her face.

_Oh no, _he thought, _here we go again._

"Y'know something, Katarn? You really know how to piss me off."

Unsure of how to react to that, Kyle said nothing.

"I want to know one thing and don't you dare try and lie to me. Are you _really_ all right?"

"Yes," he said, looking her in the eye, "I am."

Jan's expression changed so suddenly, Kyle didn't know what to say or do.

The sharp flint in her eyes went away. The harsh glare softened. And most of all, the thin line of her mouth changed into a smile. After making sure no was around to see or hear, she moved close, lowering her voice.

"I'm glad. I was worried."

Kyle felt the tension leave his body as he smiled back at her.

"Me too, Jan. I'm glad you're back."

She smiled at him a moment more, then her expression changed to a more even one.

"Join me for lunch?" she asked.

"I'd be glad to..." he paused before adding, "… Commander."

Jan gave him another look and then the two of them made their way to the mess hall.

* * *

**Rebel Command Ship **_**Intrepid**_

**Mess Hall**

**1305 Hours**

Entering the room had made both operatives realize they were ravenous. And although Kyle told Jan he could manage, she insisted on carrying both their trays.

"I don't care how confident you feel, Katarn," she said, "one missed step and then…"

She made a show with her hands of food spreading across the floor. Rather than argue, Kyle gave in. Once they were both seated, the two of them dug into their food, sparing conversation until their collective hunger had been satiated. Several minutes later, when their trays were no more than a collection of empty dishes, Kyle spoke in a confidential tone.

"We may have another problem," he said.

Jan gave him a surprised look. "What do you mean?"

"Tinuviel and Nerwen," Kyle said, going on to describe his encounter with them two days previous. Jan listened intently before asking a question.

"You really think they know?"

"They suspect," Kyle replied, "that's why all the questions about how I felt and all."

"You're worried?"

Kyle shrugged. "I dunno. Those two creep me out sometimes with the way they talk, you know?"

Jan nodded.

"But for some reason…" he trailed off, seeming to struggle with what to say next, then offering, "… I don't know if we have to worry or not."

"Kyle, we didn't want _anyone _to know."

"I know that. But with those two…. I dunno, Jan. I feel like if someone has to know, that maybe we can trust them."

"I don't know, Kyle…"

"Me neither. I wonder… should we talk to them? Maybe find out what they know?"

"Absolutely not!" Jan whispered fiercely, "that'll only make them that much more suspicious."

He nodded. "Okay, you're right. Sorry."

"It's okay," she said, softening her voice, "I'm just worried about anyone finding out. If it gets to Mon Mothma…"

"I can only imagine," Kyle said, thinking dark thoughts.

"Let's just keep things as they are for now," Jan said, "you _can_ handle it if they press you again, can't you?"

Kyle smirked at her. "Piece of cake. I _was_ an Imperial, you know. Lying and deception is our specialty."

Jan fought back a giggle, covering her mouth with her hand.

"Listen," Kyle said in his normal voice, "let me ask you this. Are _you_ doing okay? That shuttle looked like it'd been through something."

Jan nodded.

Just then, the alarms on both their chronos went off.

"Well," Jan said, pushing her chair back and rising, "time to head back."

"Right," Kyle said, using his cane to help him rise. He was almost up when the boot of the plasteel shaft slipped. Unbalanced, he wobbled and was about to fall when two strong arms reached across his body, steadying him.

Finding his balance after a second or two, Kyle looked down and realized the person holding him was Jan. They looked into each other's eyes and both felt their faces grow hot as the same thought flashed through their minds.

_Oh, Sithspit!_

Jan quickly let go and stepped away. But as he looked to the left and right using her peripheral vision, she realized people were staring at them. Standing in front of her, Kyle saw the same. The silence began to grow and he realized something needed to be said.

"Wow!" he exclaimed loudly,"that was close! Thanks for the assist, Jan."

It took her a moment to realize what he was doing. Once she did, she responded.

"You're welcome, Kyle. But you need to be more careful. You could've been hurt."

His face colored again as he scratched his head.

"Yeah, well, still not quite used to this cane. Anyways, we're gonna be late."

"You're right," she replied, "we should go."

And with that; the two left the mess hall; both wishing mightily that people had bought their little subterfuge.

Waiting until they were some distance away and aboard one of the repulsor, they both sighed.

"Well," Kyle observed, "_that_ was awkward."

"You're telling me," said Jan, "when I realized what I was doing…"

"Yeah," Kyle said, "While I do appreciate it, Jan, I probably could have handled things."

She lifted an eyebrow. "Is that right? Well, then, Katarn, next time I'll be sure and let you fall."

* * *

**Rebel Command Ship **_**Intrepid**_

**Mess Hall**

**Ten Minutes Later**

Arriving back in the briefing room, the operatives found Mon Mothma standing by the table. She was holding something in her hand, a small smile on her face.

"Kyle, Jan, welcome back," she said, "please take your seats."

When the pair had done so, the Rebel leader held out the item she was holdings towards Kyle.

"Doctor Berth said one of the cleaning droids found this in Sickbay."

Kyle took the thin slip of papery material, recognizing it a moment later.

"Yes," he said, sounding relieved, "I thought I'd lost this."

"What is it? Jan asked.

"Just a picture," Kyle said casually, beginning to put it away.

"A picture, huh? Lemme see."

Somehow, Jan was quick enough to reach across Kyle and pluck the picture from his fingers.

"Hey!"

She studied the photo.

"This is your family, isn't it?"

"Yes," he replied.

A mischievous smile crossed Jan's face.

"Did you see?" she asked Mon Mothma.

"I did indeed," the Rebel leader replied.

"Look at you," Jan teased, "you're so cute!"

Kyle reached for the photo, but Jan held it away.

"C'mon, Jan. That's mine."

"Cool your afterburners, Katarn," she said, still looking at the photo, "so this is your mom and dad…"

"Yes," he said, "now please Jan, give it back."

Mon Mothma cleared her throat.

"Jan, I would like to begin the meeting."

"Oh, right," came the slightly embarrassed reply.

Turning to face the Rebel leader, she placed the picture on the table, not handing it back to Kyle and seemingly oblivious to his strong look at her.

_I swear_, he thought, _she really drives me nuts sometimes. I'd _better_ get that picture back right after the briefing._

But for now, he decided, he needed to pay attention and find out what happened on Jan's mission.

* * *

**The Drovan System **

**Five Days Earlier**

The Lambda-class shuttle flashed out of hyperspace. At the controls, Jan brought up the engines as the person sitting in the copilot's chair activated the radar and tracking systems.

"Anything yet?"

"No," came back the flat reply.

Jan spared a moment to look over at her "co-pilot". Vinial Druugan was a Twi'lek, a race Jan didn't know a lot about other than how they had been a favorite target of slavers for years. Vinial had been rescued as part of a raid on Imperial shipping when a cargo container was found not to contain war materials as had been reported, by instead a group of Twi'leks recently captured and sold to an Imperial admiral for who knows what devices or means.

Offered a chance to join the Alliance and fight for their freedom, some had agreed, Vinial among them. It was soon learned that she, among all of the group, had a particular aptitude for tracking and detection systems and so she had been trained on them and placed as part of the tactical systems crew aboard the cruiser _Triumph of Freedom_. With the ship damaged beyond repair during the battle over Endor, the surviving crew had been sent off to the other ships. Vinial's new berth was the _Intrepid. _

At a mission briefing, exchanging introductions with her team, Jan had been slightly taken aback by the Twi'lek, for not only was Vinial tall for a female at nearly 6 feet, but she was the first red-skinned Twi'lek Jan had ever seen. When she had commented on not encountering many of Vinial's species before, the alien female had, surprisingly, taken great offense.

"We all don't end up as dancing girls, you know."

And with that, she moved away, leaving Jan nonplussed. Since then, the Twi'lek had seemed to be nursing a grudge. She was fairly cooperative during briefings, but her attitude and response to questions was borderline insubordinate. However, Jan had decided the best way to respond was not to at all. But now, with the mission underway, she didn't know if she could put up with it much longer.

"All right," she responded to the Twi'lek's curt answer, "and no signals from the outposts?"

"I just said there wasn't."

Jan rolled her eyes. This was getting aggravating.

"How we doin', boss?"

This new voice came from behind and Jan turned to look over her shoulder at Tuney Govran, the technical specialist selected for the mission. A human like her, Tuney was so thin he appeared to nearly cadaverous in appearance. A former slicer, he had joined the Rebellion after the Empire had imprisoned him for hacking into Imperial databases and defacing several images of ranking officials, including Palpatine himself. Freed by the Rebellion during the liberation of Coruscant, Tuney had asked what he could to repay his benefactors. And once his vast knowledge of computer systems had reached the right ears, he was transferred to the _Intrepid._

And while Jan was glad to have someone of such capability along in case repairs were needed to the outpost's electronic and technical systems, Tuney was proving to be almost as annoying as Vinial. While he wasn't insubordinate or uncooperative, he had a habit of being where he wasn't wanted and constantly chewing some piece of candy or something. Even now, the sounds of the technician's masticating jaws began to grate on Jan's nerves.

"All right, Tuney," a deep, bass voice rumbled, "back into the cabin. Leave the Commander alone."

"I was just seein' how things are going," the technician said.

"If the Commander wants you, she'll ask. Now…"

"I'm comin… I'm comin."

Turning round, Tuney exited the cabin and was replaced a moment later with a form so large that it almost didn't fit through the hatch.

"Everything okay up here, Commander?"

Jan turned and offered a grateful smile.

"Fine, Restall," she said, gesturing with her head towards the back of the ship, "thanks for that."

Restall Ovundrang smiled back. Another humanoid, Restall came from a heavy gravity world where the native species had adapted to the constant 3G pull by developing large, muscular bodies that were able to handle it. The strong rays of the system's twin suns had also created a genetic change, rendering the inhabitants' skin a deep, almost golden color to provide protection against the sun's rays. However, special stormtrooper armor had proven equal to the planet's gravity and given the multiple mineral resources of Thoxon IV, Restall's people had found their great strength of no help against hand blasters and orbital guns. Still, the people had waited and plotted, finally managing to secure a long range communicator and transmit a message for help.

General Dodonna, in cooperation with Mon Mothma, had managed to secure the Calamari cruiser _Rough Waters_. Working in cooperation with the oppressed people, a surprise attack had been staged on the Imperial ground base and while so engaged, the Calamari cruiser had come in, guns blazing. The Star Destroyer in orbit of Thoxon IV had been caught unawares and with shields down. Once the remaining Imperials realized their command ship was gone, they had surrendered. Restall's people, in gratitude to their liberators had joined the Rebellion with great spirit and purpose. And while Jan had been, initially, a little concerned about the great size of one member of her security contingent, she had soon found out that Restall was a gentle giant in every sense of the word.

And, unlike Vinial, he had taken no offense when Jan had laughed upon hearing of the large man's interest in poetry. Instead, he had responded by quoting a few lines to her.

"No problem," he said now to her, "I'll head back and keep an eye on him."

Jan nodded and Restall departed, his bald head just clearing the lip of the hatch. And then the space was filled again with another large form.

"Anything yet?" the newcomer asked.

"Nothing yet," Jan replied, "and that bothers me. Even at this distance, we should be able to pick up residual power emanations."

"Unless they masked their signatures," Vinial offered, "that _can_ be done, you know."

"Vinial," the new voice said, "if you speak to the Commander one more time like that, I swear I'll break you in half."

The Twi'lek turned and glared at the person standing by the hatch. For a brief moment, Jan thought she'd have to break up a brawl. But then, Vinial eyes dropped away and she turned to face forward once again.

"That's what I thought," said the newcomer, glaring at the red-skinned form a moment before turning to Jan again.

"You okay, Commander?"

Jan smiled again. "Plana, I told you before, you can call me Jan."

"Ah, I just don't know about that. You _are_ the mission leader, after all."

Jan fought back a chuckle. Plana Wethott was from the same race as Restall, but a female of the species. Nearly as large as the other, Plana's golden skin was offset by her midnight black hair which she wore in a long braid that ran down the middle of her back. She also had what Jan thought were the whitest teeth she had ever seen. When Plana smiled, the teeth were nearly all you saw. She, along with Restall, were the two she had connected with from the get go. Plana had also surprised Jan in that she was overly concerned with how she looked even though three-quarters of the male crew on the _Intrepid_ had crushes on her. She also was a stickler for military protocol, even though Jan had made it clear to the whole crew that a certain level of informality was acceptable to her.

"Fine," Jan said, sighing a bit, "Commander it is then."

Plana smiled at her, the white teeth seeming to gleam in the cockpit. Just then, Vinial's head tails twitched violently. Jan wasn't sure exactly what it meant, but she _had_ learned that Twi'leks expressed emotions with the movement of their lekku.

"What is it?" she asked Vinial.

Surprisingly, the red-skinned alien answered her civilly.

"I'm not sure. There was a surge on the power detection meter for about five seconds, and then nothing."

"Where from?"

"I _don't kn_ow," Vinial answered, her expression showing that she had forgotten to check.

Jan sighed heavily. "Well, find out. I need to know if it came from one of the outposts."

"Okay, okay," the Twi'lek said in annoyed tone, "I'll find out, jeez."

With one large step, Plana was behind her, a massive reaching down to encircle one of the head tails. She gave a firm, brief squeeze. Vinial's scream was high and loud as Plana released her. The Twi'lek rose from her chair and glared at the golden-skinned woman.

"You, you… how dare you touch my lekku! I ought to…"

Plana never blinked. "Go ahead. I'm waiting."

"OKAY, THAT'S IT!" Jan yelled, her voice carrying with it enough strength and fury to get both women to look at her.

"I have had it up to here with both of you!" she said, holding a hand above her head, "you two wanna kill each other, fine! But do it after the mission, all right?!"

The two aliens stared at Jan, who leveled a fierce gaze at both. Finally, they looked away. Vinial sunk down in her chair with a muted grunt.

"Wasn't my fault…" she began to mutter.

"Vinial," Jan said, "either stow the attitude or get the hell out of this cockpit. I need a competent tactician up here helping me, not some stupid brat holding a one-sided grudge. You read me?"

The Twi'lek looked at Jan with wide eyes, seeing the look directed at her. Finally, she nodded.

"I… want… an… answer," Jan said.

For a moment, it seemed the Twi'lek would not respond, but then he she opened her mouth and in an even tone, said, "I understand, Commander."

"Good," Jan said, "now find out where that power surge came from."

"I will," the Twi'lek said.

"Good," Jan repeated, "now Plana…"

It turned out nothing else needed to be said. The golden-skinned woman had moved back to the hatch, head down, eyes studying the deck. They now shifted towards Jan.

"I'm sorry," she said in a low voice.

As quickly as it had come, the fury left Jan. She looked up at the other, seeing unspoken words in her eyes. Just then, Restall and Tuney came forward.

"What's wrong, Commander?" the large man asked.

"Yeah, wha happen?" echoed Tuney.

"Nothing," Jan said firmly, "just clearing the air in her a little."

"You sure?" asked Restall, concern in his voice.

Jan reached a hand up towards Plana. The large woman reached out with her left and encircled Jan's hand with her own. The squeeze the operative was returned with great gentleness and a small smile.

Returning the smile, she answered.

"Yes, I'm sure."

"Okay," said Restall, his voice beginning to move away.

"Wait a minute…" said Vinial, her voice low at first, then exclaiming, "got it! Power surge detected. It's coming from…"

Jan looked at her. "Where?"

"Somewhere near Outpost Beta," came the answer.

"Oh-kay," Jan said, "I understand, but what…"

"It's the power curve," Vinial said, interrupting, "I've seen this signature before. I think its weapons fire."

The cockpit fell silent. Suddenly, Plana stumbled forward as Tuney somehow managed to push past her. Uninvited, he walked over to where Vinial was, his fingers dancing over a set of controls.

"Hey!" she said, "what are you doing?"

Tuney responded. "I've examined the energy signature, Commander," he said, "It's not a typical energy spike. I think Vinial may be right."

Jan sat stunned, looking at the all but emaciated technician. His words just now had been spoken articulately and without any slang. Plus, he had dropped, at least for the moment, the annoying "boss" appellation.

"You're sure?" she asked.

Tuney nodded.

"All right then," Jan said, "looks like we're going with Plan B then. Plana, Restall, gear up."

With firm acknowledgements, the two humanoids moved with amazing speed and grace out of the cockpit.

"Vinial, status of shields and weapons?"

"Fully charged," the Twi'lek replied.

Jan gave her a quick smile.

"Good. Tuney, I need you to have your gear ready as well. We may have to go in hot."

"Ah'll be ready, boss," he said, leaving the cockpit.

_I wish he'd quit calling me that._

The shuttle continued on, shield and weapons ready and the crew prepared for a hostile encounter. Jan had discussed the possibility of this during the mission briefing, hoping she would be wrong. She thought briefly of Kyle, who would probably smile at this moment and say to her, "Well, it could be worse."

She shook her head at this. Kyle seemed to have a way of reducing critical events to the merely mundane, which bugged her at times. But now, thinking of things in that way was helping her to stay calm and concentrate. A touch of the throttles increased power to the engines.

* * *

**The Drovan System **

**Near the Planet Falrion**

**Twenty Minutes Later**

Jan slowed the shuttle until it came to relative rest about 300 yards from the Rebel outpost. Or to put it better, what was left of it. When originally erected, the station described a pinwheel shape with three fan-like projections radiating out from a central core, on top of which the circular shape of the main complex sat. Underneath was the power systems and reactor core to power the station.

But as everyone in the cockpit saw, someone had been at work here, terrible, destructive work. One of the fan-like sections of the station had been ripped away, leaving an ugly-looking tear on one side. Scars from blaster fire and missile impacts were all over and only a few external lights were still visible.

"Vinial," Jan said, "give me a reading on the station's power core."

Tearing her eyes away from the destruction outside, the Twi'lek pressed the appropriate controls.

"The reactor is still online," she reported, "but about less than 30% capacity."

She looked to Jan, who said, "There's more?"

Vinial nodded. "Station shields are down completely and hull integrity is reading about 40%."

"It had to be something big to do all this," observed Restall, "like a Star Destroyer."

"I _am_ reading power spikes consistent with damage from turbolaser fire. I think that's what I detected earlier."

"Lez hope who'er did this is gone, boss," said Tuney, staring straight ahead.

"My sentiments exactly," said Jan, "Vinial, what about the hangars? Can we board?"

The Twi'lek studied her panel for several more seconds.

"Hangar A... is gone," she said with a shiver, "hangar B reads near structural collapse. That leaves hangar C, but I can't get a reading on the sensors."

"What you think, Commander?" asked Plana.

Jan was about to answer when Vinial shouted a warning.

"We've got incoming!"

"Where?" Jan called, not seeing anything.

"It's exiting the station hangar," Vinial called, and then pointed. "There!"

Jan looked in the direction the Twi'lek indicated. And there, just pulling away from the hangar was the unmistakable outline of another Lambda-class shuttle. But as the vessel came into clearer view, Jan noticed one particular difference. The entire hull was black.

"What is it?" asked Plana.

Jan shook her head. "I don't know. Vinial, try and raise them. Maybe whoever it is knows what happened here."

The Twi'lek was about to comply when the other shuttle suddenly accelerated towards them and opened fire. A flurry of shots struck.

Reacting instinctively, Jan rammed the throttles to the stops while pushing the shuttle down and away. More laser fire ripped through the space as the black shuttle came forward. Reversing the turn, Jan brought her shuttle up and around as the black shuttle flashed past. Completing the turn, she looked for where she expected the black shuttle to be, but it was too late. With a flicker of pseudomotion, it was gone.

"They've gone to hyperspace," Vinial reported.

"Well, thanks there, Captain Obvious," Tuney said.

Vinial glared at the technician.

Jan was still staring at the space where the black shuttle had just been. A thousand questions ran through her mind.

_Who was that? Why did they fire? Why were they here?_

Those same questions began to be echoed by Plana and Rastell.

"Why would they attack us?"

"It didn't look like an Imperial craft. So who was it?"

Jan silenced the debate with a single observation. "Whoever they were, they aren't friendly. And if they weren't Imperials, that still leaves pirates, salvage crews and a bunch of others. Let's save the speculation for later and concentrate on what we know."

All in the cockpit considered this, eventually nodding in agreement.

"Vinial," Jan asked, "do we have a sensor image, a recording, something to allow us to check into that other shuttle when we get back."

The Twi'lek nodded. "The computer has both the sensor image and radar records."

"Good," Jan said, "then I think we should check out the station next."

She pointed the shuttle back towards the battle damaged outpost and guided the ship forward. "Vinial, keep a sharp eye on the radar. If the shuttle appears again or anything else, I want to know immediately"

"You don't have to tell me twice," the Twi'lek responded.

"Tuney, Plana, Restall, make your final checks."

Acknowledgements came back as the three moved back to the rear area of the shuttle. Guiding it around to the far side of the station, Jan sent the shuttle towards the unlighted, but open maw of the hangar. Drawing close, she folded the wings and after Vinial confirmed the path ahead was clear, moved the shuttle inside. Extending the land skids, Jan lowered the vessel until a small bump echoed through the ship.

"We're down," she said, "Rastell, Plana, go."

Again moving with unlikely speed and grace, the two golden-skinned beings left the cockpit, appearing less than a minute later in front of the nose of shuttle. Both carried heavy, repeating blasters that a normal human would find impossible to manage.

"Lot of structural damage in here, Commander," said Rastell, "whoever attacked this place gave it one heck of a pounding."

"What about bio-readings?" Jan asked Vinial.

The Twi'lek tried, but shook her head, her lekku moving in counterpoint. "No good. The station reactor is leaking into space and creating interference."

"Great," Jan muttered, then said, "Restall, Plana, head for the bridge and inner compartments. Try and find the station commander."

"On our way," Plana said.

"Now what?" Tuney asked.

"Now we wait," Jan said.

"For real? Okay, then."

Moving out of the cockpit, Jan had no idea what Tuney was up to until a brief snore came from the back of the vessel.

"Unbelievable," she muttered.


	14. Chapter 14: Vinial's Desire

**Kyle Katarn: The Rise & Fall **

**Book 2: Birth of a Jedi**

**Chapter 14: Vinial's Desire

* * *

**

A/N: From out of the fog and into the smog rides Shanesnest with a surprise, an early posting of Chapter 14! Been thinking about this and just decided to do it today, or should I say tonight? What'cha think? Am I crazy? Probably! Normalcy is overrated anyway. And with that bit of mindless introspection, on to the shout outs!

Tinuviel Undomiel: Yeah, I'd definitely say she was missing him. So Wee Gee's the man, huh? As I said before, I debated about the whole "broad" comment, but it worked well. I think Jan's gonna you trust in the end, she's just afraid of rumors and bad stuff being said and her and Kyle. Of course, if that happened, I imagine said personnel would soon regret it.

Nerwen Aldarion: You wrote quite the review! You're right about Mon Mothma, she remembers when the Jedi were the guardians of peace in the Old Republic. Yeah, I had this idea Jan wouldn't be used to a lightsaber. Wee Gee's scene is pure comedy relief! I'm glad I wrote it! Yeah, the whole lunch scene was fun, and then J&K's collective embarrassment. Whether or not you choose to hunt me down, we'll have to see. I've already prepared my bunker. I disagree with you in one part about Part 1 of the story. Granted, I did write it, but it was the support and encouragement I got you, Tinuviel and so many others that kept things going.

Manus Dei: That's a good question, given Mon Mothma's experience. A lightsaber after so many years may have thinking and wondering about the Jedi coming back. You make a good point about the J&K relationship, it'll be found out in time.

Tig94: Wee Gee is a riot to read/watch. I never thought about Mon Mothma's stress before. She's probably gulping down the sedatives at times!

Mach Farcon: To know you feel that way is fine with me, say it a thousand times! Continue feeding my already huge ego! Nah, seriously, I appreciate the praise. You make an interesting point about Wee Gee and HK-47. They are similar in a lot of ways.

Crime Scene Fairy: My pleasure! I get migraines myself, so I know what you mean! But geometry is right up there! You got it exactly. Mon Mothma is remembering when the universe more or less made sense. And Jan, well, accidents happen. Wee Gee is great for comedy relief, to be sure. The lunch scene with Jan and Kyle was fun to write. I think Jan will trust the Twins in time; she's just not there yet. I'm glad Jan's mission is going well; I didn't want it to be boring. I decided on Tuney falling asleep at the last minute, it just felt right. And don't worry about late reviews. Doesn't bother me. Never has, never could, never will!

A/N: And with that, I present to you the latest installment of Book 2 of my Kyle Katarn story. But before that, one last note. In the previous chapter, I made a bit of a boo boo that some of you caught (perhaps all of you). I wrote Jan as having green eyes when they're actually blue. I've since made a note to myself so I won't forget again.

Okay then, last time Kyle and Jan debriefed Mon Mothma on their respective missions with Kyle going first. But before he launched into his tale, he was confronted by Jan over his injury and also had Wee Gee come by to play the hologram message from his father. Prompted by Mon Mothma, Kyle also showed the two women the lightsaber and nearly lost his head for it! After his mission debriefing was finished, Jan began and it looks like she's got quite the oddball crew! So let's catch up with them and see what develops!

* * *

**The Drovan System**

**Cockpit of the Lambda-class shuttle**

**Hangar Bay of Outpost B**

"Excuse me, Commander?"

"Yes, Vinial?"

"About before… I…see… look, I know all you humans think my race is good for nothing except eye candy or dancing in some brothel for your personal amusement, but I…

"Whoa, whoa, whoa," Jan said, holding a hand up, "what in space made you think this?"

Vinial seemed surprised for a moment, and then said, "Well, it's how your race always views my people. But that…"

"Hold on a second, Vinial," Jan said, "let me ask you something, when have I ever said such a thing to you?"

"Well, not in so many words," the Twi'lek replied, "but when you said how you hadn't worked with many of my people before…"

"And I haven't," Jan said, "the only other Twi'lek I know is a bridge officer on the _Intrepid."_

Vinial's purple irises bored into Jan, seeming to search her for something.

"So wait a minute," she said, "are you telling me that it wasn't a crack at my race?"

"Sure wasn't," Jan said, "I was trying to find something to say to you. And it's true that you're the first red-skinned Twi'lek I've ever met. I was surprised and a bit fascinated."

"Are you being serious?"

"Absolutely," Jan said with conviction, "my heart goes out to you and your people. You've been treated like dirt for years and seen as little more than slaves. I have a particular dislike for slavers."

"Really?"

"Really."

Something seemed to dawn on Vinial's face, a realization of what was actually said and how she had reacted.

"By the sands of Ryloth," she said, "I assumed that you were like all the other humans I've known. I never stopped to think…"

Suddenly, Vinial bowed her head low, her lekku flopping to one side.

"I deeply apologize for my earlier conduct, Commander. I had no right to speak to you the way I did. I will accept appropriate punishment for my misdeeds."

"Punishment?" Jan said, giving the alien a surprised look and then shaking her head, "I don't think so. You and your people have suffered enough, Vinial. One might expect you to be a little on edge sometimes."

"But Commander…"

"It's done, Vinial. It's over and done, as far as I'm concerned."

The Twi'lek raised her head just enough to see Jan.

"Really?"

"Really," the operative said, sighing a bit, "now get back to your post, all right?"

"Yes, Commander," the Twi'lek said crisply and brightly, sitting back up in her seat, her lekku shaking a different way now. "Oh, and Commander?"

"Yes, Vinial?"

"My skin, by the way, is a product of a genetic mutation in my race. Red skinned Twi'leks are rarely seen, and most are male. For a female to be born with this color is most unusual."

"Hence the desire for some to possess you."

Vinial nodded.

Jan shook her head. "Sick bastards," she muttered.

Vinial smiled. "I think I am beginning to like you, Commander."

"You can call me Jan if you want."

"In time, perhaps, Commander will do for now. But yes, I am definitely beginning to like you."

Just then, from the back came a louder snore.

"But I do not like _that_ one," Vinial said, gesturing behind her.

Jan laughed.

Just then, the comm came alive.

"Commander, this is Restall. Can you hear me?"

Jan pressed a control.

"I'm here, Restall. What did you find?"

There was a pause, then, "I think you'd better come see for yourself, Commander."

"Something wrong?"

"I don't know," Restall said, "and besides, we need Tuney. So far, we've been unable to access the station's computer system. There's also not a lot of illumination around here, Commander. It's going to be trouble. With your permission, I'll send Plana your way."

Jan considered the statement, and then spoke. "Tell her I'll be waiting outside."

"She'll be there in two," Restall said, ending the call.

A snore from the back was cut off, followed a coughing sound and then, "Did I hear someone say my name?"

"Rise and shine, Tuney," Jan said, "You're needed."

A loud yawn came from the back. "Okay, I'm ready."

Shaking her head, Jan stood up from her seat, and so did Vinial.

"Where are you going?"

"With you," the Twi'lek said.

"Someone needs to stay with the ship, Vinial. And with me and Tuney needed, that leaves you."

"I do not agree, Commander. The ship can be locked and an alarm set."

"A _computerized_ alarm," Jan corrected, "I'd rather have the real thing. Besides, you need to stay here and alert us if anyone else shows up in the system."

Vinial seemed to consider this, and then nodded.

"I still do not agree, but I will comply. Please be careful."

"Don't worry," Jan said, with a quick smile, "I've been in worse spots than this."

She paused as the words ran through her mind.

_I sound like Kyle._

Smiling to herself, Jan was about to leave the cockpit when a strong arm encircled her wrist. She looked at Vinial, who was gazing back at her with a strong expression.

"I will be here if needed. Do not hesitate to call me."

Realizing that Vinial was practically on the other side of the coin in terms of her attitude, Jan took it in good grace.

"I will. Make sure the ship stays safe."

"I _will_," Vinial said confidently, releasing her.

Stopping only long enough to grab her weapons belt and buckle it in place, Jan headed out of the cockpit to where the ramp was. She looked around for Tuney, but he was already gone.

_He was dead asleep just a minute ago!_ Jan thought, shaking her head. Moving down the ramp and outside the ship, she found little more than starlight providing dim illumination to the bay. Looking around, she realized that she couldn't see much beyond the cone of light coming from inside the shuttle.

_I think… I'd better wait here._

"Commander?"

Jan nearly jumped in fright, small gasp escaping her mouth.

"Commander," Plana said, concern in her voice, "are you all right?"

Jan waited a moment before speaking.

_Okay, girl. Calm yourself down now. _

"I'm fine, Plana," she replied, "It's just really dark in here."

"This will help," the large woman said. Out of the gloom, Plana's hand appeared, holding a large luma.

Gratefully accepting it, Jan flipped the switch, a strong, bright beam shining forth from the lens. Part of the dark bay became visible.

"There's battle damage here," she noted.

"There's battle damage everywhere," Plana said, "whoever attacked this place had some heavy weapons."

Imagining what might have happened to the station crew, Jan suppressed a shudder.

"Let's get to the bridge," she said.

"Follow me," said Plana.

Training the beam to keep the golden-skinned woman in view, Jan followed her through corridors until they reached the doors to the bridge. Surprisingly, they slid open without hesitation. Jan stepped into the circular, finding it nearly as dim as the hangar bay.

"Commander," Restall greeted her.

"Has anyone seen Tuney?" she asked, remembering about the technician.

Restall jerked a thumb behind him.

"Over there."

Jan aimed the beam there, finding the cadaverous-looking technician with half his body inside a computer station.

"Hey!" Tuney yelled, "Point that somewhere else! I'm tryin' to work here!"

"Find anything?" Jan asked, turning the luma away.

"Nothin' yet, boss," Tuney replied, "Power's out all over this place. I'm tryin' to get… Hey, here we go. Switch on!"

A smattering of overhead lights popped on, blinking at first before steadying into a glow that made it possible to see the bridge more clearly.

"Nice work," Jan said, "now, Restall, what did you…"

Her voice trailed off as her eyes registered the view before her. The orderly bridge of the station had assumed the look of a slaughterhouse. Bodies were strewn all over, some lying in grotesque positions. Blood and other fluids covered the panels, the walls, the floors, even the viewports.

"Oh my…" Jan said, a hand flying to her mouth.

"What's the problem, boss?" Tuney said, head coming into view, "I got you some power, but…"

The technician's eyes grew wide.

"Aw man, aw no… this can't be…"

A greenish tint began to flow up the man's face. Scrambling to his feet, he ran out of the room.

"Sorry, Commander," Restall said, moving to stand near Jan, "I didn't mean for you to see it like this."

Jan's stomach had begun to feel much as she thought Tuney's was. With an effort, she forced herself to not give in to it. Instead, she tore her gaze from the scene of carnage and focused on Restall's face.

"It's all right. I would've found out sooner or later. I know that neither you nor Plana are medics, but… any idea what or who killed them?"

"It wasn't a blaster," Plana said, "and there's no sign of hand-to-hand combat."

"So what then?"

The golden-skinned woman shrugged. "Several of them look like they were cut."

"So a knife," Jan observed, "or a vibroblade?"

"Maybe," Restall said, "but the cuts are awfully clean. Most cutting implements leave uglier wounds than these."

Jan considered this. Given the level of destruction, she assumed it had to be energy weapons, but if Plana and Restall were right…

"Can one of you get Tuney? I want to get the station's log downloaded, along with any records."

"I'll take care of it," Restall said, moving past her and out of the room.

"Are you all right, Commander?" Plana said, coming over.

"Not really," Jan replied, "I'll feel a lot better when we're off this station."

"As will I."

Just then, Restall came back, clutching a struggling Tuney.

"No way, man," the technician protested, "I can't go back there. Those bodies, man. Don't make me."

"_Commander_," Restall said, and Jan could tell by his expression that he was getting frustrated with the technician.

"Go ahead," Jan said.

With one massive finger, Restall reached for the top of Tuney's head and tapped it. The technician reacted as if he'd been struck.

"OW! Hey, what's the deal, Restall? That hurt!"

"Tuney," Jan said firmly.

The technician looked to her.

"Yeah, boss?"

"I need you to download the station log and any computer records."

"Aw heck, boss. I already set that up before I left the shuttle. With the power active and all, the info's downloading as we speak."

Jan stared at the technician with a surprised look, and then asked, "How long?"

"I dunno," Tuney said, "maybe five, six minutes tops. Look boss, I'm sick and my head hurts. Can I…?"

"Go on back to the ship, Tuney, and tell Vinial to prepare for takeoff. We're leaving here as soon as the download is finished."

"Can't be soon enough for me, boss," Tuney said gratefully, turning and all but running back down the corridor.

Restall stared after him, shaking his massive head.

"Lightweight," he muttered.

"Let's go," Jan said, "there's nothing else we can do here."

Restall and Plana nodded, and together, the trio left the station bridge. Arriving at the hangar bay, they found Vinial waiting by the ramp.

"Commander!" she exclaimed, coming towards them.

Seeing the expression on the Twi'lek's face, Jan began to have a bad feeling.

"What's wrong, Vinial?"

"I'm not sure. That comm interference we've been dealing with since getting here suddenly cleared up. I decided to take advantage and try to contact the other outposts."

"Please tell me you used a coded channel," Jan said,

"Triple encrypted," Vinial confirmed.

"And…?"

"No response from Outpost A. But I _did_ get a reply from Outpost C.

"What's their status?" Jan asked, feeling excited now.

"Operational," Vinial said, "although the transmission was audio only. The comm officer said they've been struggling with interference and blackouts for about six weeks now."

_That explains the lack of contact_, Jan thought.

"Let's get spaceborne," she said, "I want to be at Outpost C yesterday."

Receiving a hearty acknowledgement, the group boarded the shuttle. Working together, Jan and Vinial got the shuttle powered up. Rising on its repulsors, the landing skids retracted and with a quick 180 degree rotation, Jan sent the vessel flying out of the hangar bay and into open space.

"I'll begin setting up the jump," Jan said, "Vinial, contact Outpost C and inform them we're coming."

"Hey," came Tuney's voice as he moved up towards the hatch, "what's going on?"

"Some good news," Vinial answered, "Outpost C is operational. We're heading there now."

"That _is_ good news," Tuney said, smiling widely, "nice work, boss."

In the midst of her calculations, Jan didn't respond to the comment. Minutes passed as he finished computing and inputting the jump coordinates. The computer processed them and pronounced the values accurate.

"Everyone strap in," Jan called, "we're making the jump."

A small chorus of acknowledgements came from the back of the shuttle.

Jan turned to her copilot.

"Ready?"

A nod.

"Here we go."

She pulled back the hyperspace lever and the stars outside became lines as the shuttle slipped smoothly into hyperspace. With the outpost less than a light year away, the trip took a little more than ten minutes.

* * *

"We're coming out," Jan called, pushing on the hyperspace lever. The chaotic flow of hyperspace beyond the shuttle became a group of white streaks that within a few more seconds reassumed their correct place as stars. Short-range sensors immediately detected the presence of the station.

And something else.

"_What_ is that?" Vinial asked.

"I don't know," Jan replied.

Hovering several thousand meters away from the shuttle was a ship. A ship so black and menacing, it wasn't difficult to figure out it was the bad guys. But any additional doubt was squelched by the sight of Outpost C. The healthy, robust station had been reduced to little more than a blackened shell. Turbolaser fire from the black ship was pouring down in rivers of green.

As Jan watched, the station's reactor was hit and with a great flash of light, it exploded.

_What just happened?_

So overwhelmed by the whole of what had just occurred, Jan neither moved nor spoke. The whole thing just seemed inconceivable to her. When Vinial's voice came, it seemed to be from a great distance.

"Commander… that thing's coming towards us."

The Twi'lek looked over at her Commander, seeing the transfixed stare and complete lack of motion. Unbuckling her straps, Vinial stepped over.

"Commander!" she called, gripping Jan by the shoulders and shaking her. "Answer me!"

But no matter how hard she shook the other, Vinial could get no response. That left her with only once choice.

_Sorry about this_.

Making a fist, she punched Jan in the face.

The pilot's head rocked to the side even as he moved.

"Ow!" she yelled, heading turning to look at the Twi'lek, a look of absolute anger on her face. In response, Vinial pointed outside.

"Out there!" she called.

For a moment, Jan seemed confused, then her head turned to look outside and her eyes widened.

"I see it," came a simple reply as her hands reached for the controls. Before Vinial could fully finish strapping back in, Jan sent the shuttle into a diving turn, away from the oncoming ship.

"Vinial! I need you to take the controls while I calculate the hyperspace jump!"

The Twi'lek stared at her. "How? I've never flown one of these in combat!"

"You don't need to do anything fancy," Jan said reassuringly, "just keep us away from that ship."

For a moment, it seemed as if the copilot would refuse, but then she grasped the control stick in a two-handed grip.

"I'll try," she said.

Jan was about to smile at her when a curtain of turbolaser fire appeared outside the cockpit.

"Evasive!"

Vinial yanked the control stick hard, putting the shuttle into a tight roll even as she turned away from the incoming fire.

_Not bad_, Jan thought, and then fell to her task of making the calculations for the jump. The process itself was fairly rote, but doing so while in a battle situation with a combat neophyte jinking the ship all over the place didn't make for the easiest time. But in a little less than two minutes, she had computed a course and began feeding it to the computer as Vinial rolled the ship inverted. Somehow, she managed to input the last of the figures and the computer set to work.

"I'll take over," she called to Vinial, reaching for her controls.

The Twi'lek released hers with a long sigh, sweat practically pouring off her face. Jan was about to complement her when she saw the course they were headed.

"What in the universe did you _do_?" she yelled at the Twi'lek.

Instead of moving away from the other ship, Vinial had turned the shuttle _towards_ it. Biting back a curse, Jan set the shuttle into a barrel roll as green streaks reached out for it. The shuttle shuddered once, twice.

A glance at the shield display confirmed what her instincts had already told her. The shuttle's shields were no match for turbolasers. Already the power output was down to 40%.

_Couple more hits and we've had it._

She tried turning the ship a new direction; trying to send it away from the attacking vessel, but each attempt was met with a lethal curtain of turbolaser fire. The shuttle shook again as it was hit, the shields dropping to 25%.

For a moment, Jan thought all was lost. They were more or less surrounded, shields failing and no help within reach. But even as the thought flitted across her mind, an image of Kyle appeared. She realized if she gave up, she'd never see him again. That thought brought with it a fierce determination. No way was she going to give up.

As she rolled the shuttle again, Jan looked at the black ship above and in front of her. It was shaped much like a Star Destroyer, its thin-looking prow flaring out into the wide V-shape. She also noticed where most of the laser fire was coming from.

That gave her an idea.

"Hang on!" she called to Vinial, turning the shuttle's nose towards the other ship and ramming the throttles to the stops. The shuttle accelerated, moving ahead.

"Commander," said Vinial, "you're heading right at it."

"I know," Jan said in a clipped tone, "shut up and let me fly."

The Twi'lek wondered if the pilot had gone mad. She wondered if she should do something, perhaps take action to stop what she considered a suicidal choice. But as she studied Jan's face, her grip on the stick, something told her to do as her Command had ordered.

A laser turret sitting amidships on the black ship raked the shuttle, making it shake violently. An alarm began to blare and part of the display went red.

"Shields are out," said Vinial, surprised how calm her voice was. There was no reply from Jan. The surface of the black ship grew closer and closer until Vinial was certain they were going to crash. Suddenly, the shuttle rolled sharply.

The sudden change in course made the Twi'lek dizzy for a moment. When she gazed outside the cockpit a few seconds later, a smile came to her face. The shuttle was skimming the surface of the other ship.

"You did it," Vinial said, turning to look at Jan, "we're…"

"Save it for when we're actually outta here," Jan said, her eyes never leaving the view outside. The surface of the black ship rushed past, less than five meters separating the two vessels. This position protected it from most of the turbolaser fire except for the occasional shot from turrets built along the underside of the other ship's hull.

The shuttle gave another lurch, but neither Jan nor Vinial reacted. As long as they were still in one piece, any damage mattered little at this point. Time passed as the aft section of the other ship became visible.

Seeing it, Jan considered the next part of her plan.

_Let's just hope these guys are as overconfident as they appear to be._

When the last section of the hull of the black ship flashed past and the shuttle was in open space once more, Jan killed the engines, waiting until most of the forward momentum had bled off before spinning the vessel around. Before her was the aft hull of the other ship, three massive engines accompanied by other, smaller engines visible.

Arming the shuttle's weapons, she picked the rightmost of the three biggest engines and centered the targeting reticule over it. While not exactly designed for combat, the Lambda –class shuttle did come equipped with an impressive array of weapons. Twin rotating blaster cannons sat near the juncture of the hull and wings along with two fixed mounts set inboard.

Now, as Jan pulled the trigger, all eight barrels let forth with streams of red energy. Crossing the interval between the shuttle and the other ship, they began to strike the engine. Jan shifted the aim slightly so that, rather than the engine, the laser fire was directed at the area where the massive engine was connected to the rest of the ship. A brief smile crossed her face as she recognized that the attacking ship's shields were down, as she had anticipated.

A minute passed as the steady stream of laser fire continue to strike the larger ship. And then, with a sudden, bright flare, the glow from the massive engine went out. Watching all this, Vinial was about to ask a question when she throw against her straps as Jan spun the shuttle back around and hit the thrusters hard. The shuttle gave a momentary shudder before moving ahead, accelerating.

"Vinial," Jan called, briefly turning to look at the copilot, "I need the shields back up. Transfer power from wherever you have to; but get them back up."

The look on the Commander's face silenced any argument as the Twi'lek reached for her controls, trying to find a power source to re-energize the shields.

As the shuttle drew away from the other ship, rear-mounted turbolaser cannons began to fire, fingers of green light reaching out. A voice seemed to whisper in Jan's ear, warning her. She worked the control stick, sending the shuttle diving away as the energy beams raked the space it had been in.

_C'mon, c'mon,_ she thought, _it can't hold forever._

As if in reply, a massive light appeared from somewhere to the shuttle's aft quarter as the overload triggered by its intense laser fire caused the bigger ship's engine to explode. Seeing this, Jan moved back to her original course, knowing the shockwave from the blast is coming.

Just then, the cockpit lights dimmed to a low level as Vinial called out.

"Shields are up!"

Wondering exactly how the Twi'lek had done it, Jan had no time to ask as the blast wave caught up to them. Buffeted by the blast, Jan could feel the wave trying to push her out of the way. Instead, she kept a firm grip on her controls, keeping the shuttle in place.

This went on for a minute, two. And then, with a sense of deceleration, Jan knew the blast wave had dissipated, leaving the shuttle clear and pushed several thousand meters away from the other ship. A glance of the control panel found the computer waiting for her to acknowledge acceptance of the hyperspace jump coordinates.

She mashed the button to do so and within seconds of receiving the acknowledgement, yanked the hyperspace black. The stars outside seemed to accelerate, becoming lines and then disappearing as the shuttle leapt into hyperspace.

Seconds passed before the pilot realized they had made it. Activating the autopilot, she released the control stick and sagged against the seat; releasing a breath she didn't realized she'd been holding.

Turning to look at Vinial, she saw the other's grateful smile and was about to speak when an alarm blared. Sitting forward quickly, Jan studied the instruments.

"What is it?" the copilot asked.

Jan frowned at the readings. "Hyperdrive's been hit. And according to these readings, we don't have enough power to make it back to the fleet."

"So what do we do?"

"Exit hyperspace early; what else?"

"But we don't know where we are," Vinial protested.

"I know," Jan said, sighing, "But in two more hours, like it or not, we're coming out. Personally, I'd like to decided the when and where."

The Twi'lek was still not convinced. And so it was that a tired and frustrated Jan Ors held an impromptu meeting with the rest of the crew. A suggestion of repairing the hyperdrive was quickly shot down by Tuney, who reminded them all that, a) they didn't have the tools to do so and b) none of them knew how.

Rastell and Plana were solidly behind Jan's decision to exercise hyperspace early and after Tuney said it didn't really matter one way or another, Vinial gave up.

Returning to the cockpit, the pilot and copilot strapped in.

"We'll be exiting in forty-five seconds," Jan said, wrapping her fingers around the hyperspace, "ready?"

"I suppose," Vinial said, acting much as she had at the beginning of the mission, "I just hope we don't come out in the middle of a star."

"Me too," Jan said, offering a smile.

Time passed and at the exact moment, Jan pushed the lever forward. Lines became stars again as the shuttle came back into realspace.

"We're out."

"And we appear to be safe," Vinial observed, seeing the velvety blackness surrounding them.

"Not exactly," Jan said, "safe is when we're back aboard the _Intrepid._"

They were about to begin a search pattern to determine their location when the radar lit up.

"We've got incoming," Vinial said.

"Great," Jan said with a heavy sigh, "just what we didn't need. Shield status?"

Vinial looked and shook her head. "Ten percent. Might as well be nothing."

Jan was about to reply when the proximity alarm went off, indicating the approaching craft was all but on top of them.

"They'll probably try to capture us. Let's…"

From overhead, a ship flashed past, then another. The vessels moved some distance away, slowing as they turned back towards the shuttle.

"Are those…?"

The pilot smiled broadly.

"X-wings.

One of the mainstays of the Rebel Alliance's starfighter fleet, the X-Wing was a well known ship, its shape instantly recognizable. The shuttle's comm came to life, indicating a transmission. Jan flipped a switch.

"Repeat, this is Green Leader to the Lambda-class shuttle. Do you receive?"

Initially tempted to call out for help, Jan cautioned herself. Although the sight of Rebel ships seemed to indicate a safe place, she couldn't be sure by appearance alone. She keyed her mike.

"Green Leader, this is the pilot of the Lambda-class shuttle. I'm assuming you're friendly."

"Depends if _you_ are, friend," came back the reply.

Jan debated about what to say next. She didn't want to give too much away, but she and her crew needed help.

"Green Leader," she said, "this is Jan Ors, recognition code Whiskey Tango Five Seven Delta Sigma One One. Please confirm."

There was a pause, and then the voice of the X-Wing pilot came back, sounding a little take aback.

"Stand by, shuttle."

The comm clicked off.

"What was that?" Vinial asked.

"Hopefully, a way to get us some help," Jan said.

The Twi'lek opened her mouth to ask another question, and then closed it, deciding that if her Commander wanted her to know, she'd tell her.

Minutes passed.

"They're taking a while," Vinial observed.

Jan nodded.

Just then, the comm came to life again.

"Shuttle, this is Green Leader."

"Go ahead," Jan replied.

"Recognition code has been confirmed, Miss Ors. Mon Mothma sends her compliments and orders for us to provide whatever help we can."

"Is your command ship nearby?"

"About nine parsecs," Green Leader replied, "can your ship make it that far? You've got some damage."

"Our hyperdrive is out, but we should have enough power to make it that far," Jan said.

"We'll give you an escort then," Green Leader replied.

"Appreciate it," Jan said.

"No problem. Here's the coordinates."

The X-wing pilot rattled off a string of numbers which Jan inputted into the computer. Course set, Jan tested the engines and found them responsive. Setting the shuttle on the indicated course, she advanced the throttles. Outside, the pair of X-Wings assumed positions to the left front and right rear of the shuttle.

* * *

It took a little more than two hours to reach the fighter's command ship, a Calamari cruiser named _New Destiny_. Its wide-mouthed hangar bay made it child's play for Jan to guide the shuttle inside and to a landing spot. After folding the wings into their stowed position, Jan brought the ship down until she felt the landing skids come into contact with the surface of the hangar bay.

"We're down," she said simply.

Having already unbuckled from her straps, Vinial was suddenly beside her, smiling down at the pilot.

"You did it," the Twi'lek said.

Jan took in a deep breath and let it out slowly.

"I suppose I did."

Reaching down, Vinial took one of Jan's hands in hers, squeezing it gently.

"You _did_," she said firmly.

Jan looked up into the Twi'lek's face and saw something odd there. But any chance at further analysis was spoiled as the rest of her crew came boiling into the cockpit, full of happy spirits and congratulations for their Commander. The whole scene became raucous until someone made a throat clearing sound. Rising from her chair and craning her neck, Jan saw a man standing by the hatch to the cockpit. A human like herself, he had a somewhat befuddled expression on his face.

"Commander Ors?" he asked.

Pushing past the others, Jan came forward. "That's me."

The man's hazel eyes took her in, and then a small smile came to his face.

"Captain's compliments' ma'am. Welcome aboard the _New Destiny._ I'm the first officer, Commander Steven Freenom."

The two exchanged salutes.

"Appreciate you picking us up, Commander Freenom."

"Not a problem, Commander Ors," the man replied, "The captain asked me to inform you that Mon Mothma is aware of your situation. Once our medical staff has had a chance to check you and crew over, she'd like a report from you."

_I'm sure she does, _Jan thought.

"What about my ship?"

"We've got a repair team standing by," Freenom replied.

"Well then," Jan said, a bit taken aback by how easily everything was being handled, "I suppose my crew and I are in your hands, Commander."

The man smiled at her, then gestured outside the cockpit. "If you'll follow me…"

Exiting the shuttle, Jan, Vinial and the others accompanied the commander to the _New Destiny_'s Sickbay where after a cursory examination, the doctor in charge informed Jan that she and her crew were all in good shape, although he recommended that they get some rest.

That done, Jan followed Commander Freenom up to the bridge; learning on the way that the shuttle's hyperdrive had been severely damaged and repairs wouldn't be complete until the following day. Arriving on the bridge, Jan was introduced to the Mon Calamari captain of the _New Destiny_, Axnon. After exchanging greetings, the captain showed her to a comm station.

The call to the _Intrepid_ went through with little problem and soon Jan found herself speaking to Mon Mothma. She assured the Alliance Leader that she and her crew were all fine, and went on to explain the delay in returning. Mon Mothma understood and said she'd expect to see Jan soonest the next day.

And with that, the operative found herself with… absolutely nothing to do. She doubted the repair crew would require or welcome her presence and she knew better than to try contacting Kyle. After sharing a quick midday (ship's time) meal with the captain, Jan found herself wandering the corridors of the Calamari cruiser, waiting out the time until the evening meal. Vinial, Tuney, Rastell and Plana were nowhere to be found.

Left virtually alone, Jan found herself thinking over the mission, what had happened, what she had seen. It chilled her to the bone thinking of the lives snuffed out by whoever had attacked the outposts. She also wondered about the black ship that had attacked the shuttle. Its appearance seemed to indicate it didn't belong to the Empire's Space Navy, but who else had the ability or the credits to build such a ship?

Lost in her musings, Jan walked into a room at random, finding herself in one of the ship's lounges. It was surprisingly empty and she decided to leave the lights off as she walked to one of the large viewports. Outside was the void of space, stars, planets, nebula, so much to see, with colors all over the spectrum. But Jan saw none of it. Her eye was turned inward, mind replaying the events of the mission over and over again. Her logical mind told her there was nothing that could have been done. Even if she had arrived earlier, she would likely have found the black ship in the midst of attacking the outposts. And what could one Lambda-class shuttle do?

But her feelings told an entirely different story. She kept seeing the outposts, turbolaser fire pouring into them, the crews trying to defend themselves, calling for help and then realizing there was no hope; that they were all going to die. Her logical mind tried to jog her out of this, telling her the same facts. And in another setting, she might have listened. But now, in this place, alone, her feelings were winning out.

Wrapping her arms around herself, Jan felt a shiver run up her back. She felt cold, even though the temperature in the room was perfectly comfortable. She wished she could talk to Kyle or Wexter or even the twins. She desperately wanted to hear another voice, someone to talk to.

"Commander?"

The voice came so suddenly Jan couldn't help but jump a little. She whipped around, looking for its source. Her eyes found the form of Vinial, standing just inside the doorway.

"Oh Vinial," she said, her racing heart already beginning to slow, "It's you."

"Are you all right?" the Twi'lek asked.

"Fine," Jan said a little too quickly.

"I'm sorry, if I'm disturbing you…"

"No," Jan said, again a little too quickly, "no, you're not. Please come in."

The Twi'lek smiled and walked over to where Jan was standing.

"I hadn't seen you in a while and was wondering where you had gotten to."

"Had to report in to Mon Mothma," Jan explained, "and I also heard from the repair crew. Looks like we're stuck here till tomorrow."

"I see," Vinial replied.

There was a moment of silence.

"Well, at least we're among friends," Jan offered.

"True."

Another moment of silence.

"Commander," Vinial began.

"Vinial," Jan said with an exasperated sigh, "we're off duty, at least for the interim. Call me Jan."

"All right… Jan."

"Something you wanted to ask?"

"Well… I, uh…"

"Is something wrong?"

"No," Vinial replied firmly, "I was… just wondering if you were all right."

"Of course," Jan replied, offering a smile.

Vinial seemed to study her. For unbeknownst to Jan, the Twi'lek had been standing at the door for some time, watching her.

"Okay," came the reply, "I was just wondering. You know; the mission and all."

Jan opened her mouth to tell the Twi'lek that she was just fine, but staring into Vinial's earnest face, she found she couldn't lie to her.

"I still can't quite believe it. All those lives…"

Vinial nodded, moving a bit closer.

"I just…"

As Jan's voice trailed off, Vinial moved right next to her and draped one of her lekku across the other's shoulders, the tip of it reaching partway down Jan's left arm.

"What's this?" she asked, surprised.

"Among my people," Vinial said, "we do this at times, to offer friendship… and support."

Jan turned to look at the Twi'lek, seeing a curious light in her eyes. Her left hand reached up towards the dangling lekku.

"May I?"

Vinial nodded.

Jan gently placed her hand on it, and smiled. "It's warm."

Vinial laughed. "Well, it _is_ part of my body, after all."

Jan let out a small laugh, her hand continuing to touch the lekku.

"Are you _sure_ you're all right?" asked Vinial.

Jan said nothing, but she continued to stroke the lekku. Reaching out with her left arm, Vinial placed it across the operative's back.

"Vinial…?"

"You seemed like you were upset. I just thought you'd enjoy a little support."

Part of Jan's mind warned her not to accept the offer, that there was danger. But at that moment, comfort was what she desired. She leaned in towards Vinial, allowing the Twi'lek to comfort her. When she looked again, Jan found Vinial's face close to hers. The light in the Twi'lek's eyes seemed to be growing.

Suddenly, the doorway behind them opened.

"Commander?"

The moment shattering around them like glass, Jan felt a hot flush rise in her face. She quickly stepped away from Vinial, the lekku falling off her shoulders. The Twi'lek seemed unaffected, her eyes still on Jan.

"Commander?" the voice called again.

"Over here, Plana," Jan said, stepping towards the other woman.

Behind her, Vinial inwardly cursed her luck. The moment had been perfect, and now thanks to Plana, it was ruined.

_Well, I knew I was taking a chance._

Since learning of the true personage of her Commander, Vinial had begun to see her with a new eye. Jan Ors understood her as no person ever had. She respected Vinial as an individual, not as a piece of property or something to be ogled at and slavered over. She was determined to repay this kindness. A part of her considered that Jan might not feel as she did, but she quickly dismissed the thought. She saw Jan Ors as a loner, just like her.

_I will find a way to fill that void in her life. She will never be alone again._


	15. Chapter 15: Vinial's Deception

**Kyle Katarn: The Rise & Fall **

**Book 2: Birth of a Jedi **

**Chapter 15: Vinial's Deception

* * *

**

A/N: Friends, I feel that I must begin this chapter by offering an apology to you all. After reading the reviews for Chapter 14, it has became clear that my idea of a Jan/Vinial relationship has fallen on its face with all the grace of a misshapen rock. Initially I had wanted to do something along the lines of Jan/Kyle/Blaze from Book 1, but it has not worked. So therefore, as your author, writer, designer, chief cook and bottle washer, it's up to me to fix it and so I will.

I'd like to say it was my idea to do this, but I cannot. Instead, I give the credit to Tinuviel Undomiel and Nerwen Aldarion. Tinuviel took the time to write me and voice her concerns over what I was doing with Jan and Vinial. And so, beginning in this chapter and going into Chapter 16, I will take care of the mess I made and deal with Vinial. That being said, please the early posting of Chapter 15 and let's get to the shout outs!

Mach Farcon: Somewhere better than where it started. Hope you like this chapter better.

Nerwen Aldarion: I understand. Yeah, Jan is quite the pilot and I'm glad you liked the parts aboard the outposts. Wait'll you find out who did it! Vinial _is_ attracted to Jan, in a crush way of sorts. But I'm gonna deal with that ASAP.

Tinuviel Undomiel: Vinial is, I think, my first time really exploring an alien character. But, I definitely took things too far. It'll get fixed. Jan is the pilot extraordinaire, no doubt about it!

Tig94: In a way, you're right. No, never written slash before and after this, never again. It's getting into areas I ain't cool with!

A/N: Again, everyone, please accept my sincere apologies if I made you feel creepy, nauseated or otherwise uncomfortable. I'll do my best not to make such a mistake again. Please continue to offer me your opinions and guidance. Criticism is never easy to hear, but in the final wash, it'll make me a better writer and person. And with that, let's get to the story!

* * *

**Mon Calamari Cruiser **_**New Destiny**_

**Shortly after the end of Chapter 14**

The rest of the day and evening went by without further incident. The crew had dined together and all had been treated to a reading Rastell had done from memory. The tale had everyone hanging on his every word right up till the end. Some hours later, when full stomachs and tiredness overcame their collective energy, Jan had stood up and spoke.

"Last order of the night, everyone. Go to bed."

Tuney and Rastell headed off to the quarters set aside for them while Jan, Vinial and Plana debated over who'd get the bed and who'd get the couch.

"You two can take it," Jan offered, "it doesn't bother me."

"I will not hear of it," Plana said firmly.

"Nor will I," echoed Vinial.

As she said this, the Twi'lek noticed the look from the golden-skinned woman. It was the same look she had been getting all evening whenever she tried to get close to Jan. She wondered if Plana suspected her intentions, but dismissed that as foolish thinking.

When more debate failed to settle the issue, Jan had suggested a game of chance, which the others readily agreed to. In the end, Vinial cursed her luck again as she lost in the third round.

"Sorry, Vinial," Jan said, shrugging, "I offered to let you have the bed before."

"Its fine," the Twi'lek replied, offering a fake smile, "I don't mind."

"Besides," Plana said, a smirk on her face, "you lost fair and square."

Vinial glared at her.

"Problem?"

"No," the Twi'lek said after several seconds, "no problem."

"Too bad," the golden skinned woman muttered.

And with that, the three went to sleep.

The next morning, Vinial had grown even more frustrated as Plana, and later Restall, seemed to be doing everything they could to keep her away from Jan. She barely even saw her until mid-afternoon when the two of them were strapping into their seats, preparing to leave the _New Destiny_.

The comm panel lit up and Jan accepted the call.

"Commander Ors, this is Captain Axnon. You're cleared for departure at your convenience. Everything all right aboard?

"Preflight checks show all systems working perfectly, Captain," Jan replied, "thanks again for all your help and hospitality."

"Our pleasure to provide it," the Mon Cal replied, "safe journey to you."

And with that, the comm clicked off and Jan refocused her attention to powering up the shuttle. Repulsors and engines came on readily. Tracking and radar systems read green. A look to Vinial and a nod in return confirmed that shields and weapons were functioning properly.

Lifting the craft off the floor of the hangar bay, Jan retracted the landing skids and boarding ramp before rotating the ship around to face the open spacedoors. A touch of throttle sent the shuttle moving forward and fifteen seconds later, it passed into open space. After extending the wings, Jan called up the coordinates for the hyperspace jump. The computer digested the figures and confirmed the result.

Reaching for the hyperspace lever, Jan turned to Vinial.

"Ready?"

The Twi'lek nodded and with the flicker of pseudomotion, the shuttle slipped into hyperspace. Once she and Jan had confirmed successful entry and set the autopilot, Vinial turned to her Commander.

"Well, finally on our way."

Jan sighed gratefully and smiled. "Yes we are."

"How are you doing?" the Twi'lek asked.

The pilot stared at her.

"After yesterday and all…"

"Oh!" Jan said, remembering, "A lot better. Thanks for being there."

The Twi'lek gave her a warm smile.

"I'm glad. I was worried about you."

"Well, thank you," Jan replied, returning the smile directed at her, "I appreciate it, particularly after how things had been between us."

Vinial dropped her gaze.

"I know. Truly, Jan, you have no idea how…"

"It's done."

Looking up into the other's eyes, Vinial felt a surge of emotion.

"So how are things up here?" a new voice asked.

Pilot and copilot turned to see the hulking form of Plana, standing just inside the hatch.

Jan smiled at her. "Everything's fine. We should be back to the _Intrepid_ in about two hours."

"Good," Plana said, nodding. "Hey, Commander, Rastell, Tuney and I are thinking of playing some Pazaak. You want to join in?"

Jan looked uncertain. "I don't know. I've played the game before, but never done very well."

"Then you should team up with me," Plana said with an encouraging look, "I'm an expert at the game."

"Really?"

The golden-skinned woman nodded.

"Well… why not?" Jan said, "We've got to do _something_ to kill the time until reversion." She turned to Vinial . "You want to play?"

The copilot was glaring daggers at the large woman. Once again, that blasted Plana was interfering with her. And of all things, with a game Vinial couldn't stand. She wanted to say something, to lash out, but doing so would create problems she wasn't prepared to deal with.

She forced a smile. "I'll pass, thanks. I'm not really into Pazaak."

"Is that right?" Plana said, a knowing grin on her face. "Well, that's just too bad."

The Twi'lek gave her another fierce look that promised revenge.

"Okay," Jan said, oblivious to the exchange between the two, "I'll leave the cockpit in your care then."

VInial nodded as Jan rose from her chair and accompanied Plana into the rear compartment. As time went on, the Twi'lek heard snatches of conversation along with the occasional shout of victory or cry of defeat. From what she could decipher, Jan was doing well.

_That blasted woman! She keeps interfering, taking time away from me and Jan. I don't know how much more I can stand. There's got to be some way I can get her alone, but how?_

And then a fiendishly clever idea came to the Twi'lek. She smiled a shark's smile. This would do it, she was certain of it. She would have both her revenge and her desire.

After nearly 90 minutes and several hands of Pazaak later, Jan was back in the cockpit, counting down the seconds until reversion. When the counter reached zero, she pushed the hyperspace lever forward, the tunnel of hyperspace dissipating into white streaks of light that resolved themselves into stars.

Guiding the shuttle into a lazy turn, the pilot and copilot saw the object of the jump, the alabaster hull of the Rebel Star Destroyer _Intrepid_. Activating the comm, Jan called into the mike, giving the same recognition code as she had with the X-wing pilots earlier. The communications center aboard the command ship acknowledged her.

"Recognition code confirmed. Welcome back, Commander Ors. Please proceed to the main hangar bay. You've got a reception committee waiting for you."

_Is that right? _Jan thought as the comm clicked off. Guiding the shuttle up towards the massive maw of the Star Destroyer's hangar bay, she set the engines to minimum power and used the repulsors to move the shuttle into a landing spot. Soon after the reverberating bump of the landing skids touching the deck sounded in the cockpit, Jan and Vinial began the shutdown sequence.

"Guess they weren't kidding about a reception committee," the Twi'lek observed. Jan followed her gaze and saw several faces on a platform just in front of the shuttle. She recognized Mon Mothma and Doctor Berth right away.

"Well, let's go," she said to Vinial. Waiting for her crew to debark first, Jan came down the shuttle's ramp and into the expanse of the hangar bay. Her eyes roved over the sea of faces once again and then locked on one in particular.

It was Kyle.

He was gazing down at her. Part of her wanted to acknowledge his presence, wave at him, call his name. But even as she thought of these things, she decided that doing so would bring both of them undue attention. The last thing she wanted was for rumors and speculation to start. Jan had not the slightest doubt that she felt something for Kyle, but she also felt strongly that no one else needed to know except for the two of them.

She settled for flashing a brief smile at him, then moving off to join her crew where Doctor Berth and his medical staff were, checking them over. After being pronounced fit by the doctor; Mon Mothma had come forward and asked Jan to report to the briefing room.

* * *

**Rebel Star Destroyer **_**Intrepid**_

**Mon Mothma's Briefing Room**

**Present Time**

"So," Mon Mothma said as Jan concluded her report, "all the outposts are gone."

"We only saw the two," the operative offered, "but given the power of that ship, I have little doubt about the other one.

"You're certain it wasn't an Imperial ship?"

"Not unless the Empire is going for basic black in their paint schemes now. Granted, that ship _did_ look an awful lot like a Star Destroyer, but it definitely wasn't the same."

"And no support ships? TIE fighters? Transports?"

"Only that black shuttle I mentioned."

"Most curious," Mon Mothma said, contemplating the situation, "none of the pirate gangs we're aware of have such ships. And if it wasn't the Empire…"

"I have a suggestion," Kyle said.

"Yes?"

"I'd ask Wineglass to look into it."

"Oh?"

Kyle briefly explained of the research the archivist had done for him.

"She's one heck of a researcher. I'll bet she can find out something about this mystery ship."

"It's not a mystery," Jan countered, "I _did_ see it."

"Sorry," Kyle said, "lack of a better term."

"I will look into it," Mon Mothma said, "it's important we find out what that ship is and who it belongs to as soon as possible."

Kyle and Jan both nodded in agreement.

"Very well then," the Rebel leader, "then we shall proceed as follows. Kyle, I want you to get the latest information from Tactical and Intelligence. See what you can find about this mysterious black ship. Also, check the Holonet for any news. If whoever destroyed our outposts is trying to make a statement, they may be doing so publicly."

"I'll take care of it," Kyle replied.

"And me?" Jan asked.

"You are off duty for the next 24 hours, Jan."

"What?"

She stared at the Rebel Leader with an open mouthed expression.

"Jan, considering what you have been through over the last few days, I think a break would be in order."

"I don't need a break," the operative countered.

"I disagree."

"Mon Mothma, please. I know I just got back from a mission, but I feel fine. I don't want or need a break. I want to stay busy."

The Rebel leader studied her junior's face for several seconds, and then sighed.

"Very well," she said, "but you _are_ off duty for the rest of the day today."

"I can live with that," said Jan.

"Very well," Mon Mothma said, wrapping things up, "I shall expect a report from you, Kyle, within the week. Jan, you and I will meet at 1000 hours tomorrow to discuss your next assignment. Any questions?"

"No," said Kyle.

"None here," echoed Jan.

"Good," Mon Mothma said, "you're both dismissed."

Saluting their commander, the two operatives left the briefing room, Kyle a few steps behind Jan. Stepping out into the hallway, Jan turned around to face him.

"Well then, since I'm off duty, what shall we do?"

Kyle shrugged.

"How about a quick jog around the track at the gym?"

Narrowing his eyes, Kyle shook his head at her.

"Funny, Jan, real funny. What I'd really like right now is my picture back."

"Huh?"

"My picture."

"Picture? Oh, right! This!"

She retrieved the photograph from a pocket she had unconsciously put it into while leaving the briefing room.

"Yeah, that."

He extended a hand.

Jan looked at the picture.

"I still can't believe this is you. How old were you when this was taken?"

Kyle shrugged. "I dunno, seven or eight, I guess. I really don't remember. Now Jan…"

"Seven or eight," she echoed, still looking at the image, "a while ago. And your parents, they look like nice people."

"Yes," he said, "now if I could…"

"What was your mom's name again?"

Feeling a hint of irritation creeping into his mind, Kyle nonetheless answered. "Patricia. Her name was Patricia."

"Patricia Katarn," Jan said, still studying the picture, "she's got such dark hair."

_Okay, that's it!_

"Jan?" he said, raising his voice a little.

She looked up from the picture. "Yes?"

"Can I _please_ have it back now?"

"Just a second, Katarn. I'm not done yet."

"Look, I'll make you a copy. I just…"

"When I'm done," she said firmly.

Feeling his anger begin to rise, Kyle took a step forward and reached for the picture. Jan pulled it away.

"Hey! Don't be rude."

"I'm not. I just want my picture back."

"And _I_ said I'll give it you when _I'm done_," she replied.

He reached for it again, and she pulled it away again, a smiled coming to her face. Twice more he tried, and twice more she pulled it away.

"C'mon, Kyle," she teased," almost there… oops! Not quite, try again. C'mon, try once more."

She was retreating down the corridor, still holding the picture. Another attempt and again he missed, nearly falling this time. Jan laughed as he recovered himself.

And with that, his temper broke.

"Blast you, Jan Ors! Give it back!"

Other people in the corridor stopped what they were doing at the sudden shout. Jan seemed frozen in place, staring at Kyle wide-eyed. And while he also the eyes looking at him, he was too upset to care. Fight or flight instinct kicking in, he turned to go.

"Fine!" he shouted, "Y'know what Ors? Keep the blasted thing! I don't care anymore!"

And with that, he hobbled away as fast as the cane would allow him to walk. Jan watched him go, feeling more confused than upset.

_What in space was that about?_

Realizing that people were looking at her as well, she did what nobody was expecting. In a loud voice, she called, "Ya looking at sumthin?"

Everyone looking at her suddenly found new places to look and to go. In less than a minute, the hall was deserted. She stood there a bit longer, reviewing in her mind what had just happened.

_Maybe I shouldn't have teased him. But it's not like I wasn't going to give the picture back. I just wanted to look at it a bit more._

Not sure what to do, Jan headed in the general direction of her quarters, trying to figure out why Kyle was so mad. It did make sense to her.

"Jan," a voice called, "hey, Jan!"

Realizing someone was calling, she looked around and found Wexter coming the other way, piloting a repulsor scooter as she was. He came forward to where she was and stopped.

"Welcome back," he said warmly, opening his arms to her. Jan allowed the older man to hug her.

"Thanks, Wexter, she said, "it's good to be back."

"So tell me what happened. Your ship looked like you'd been through a firefight."

"You have no idea," said Jan.

"So let's get some caf and you can tell me all the unclassified parts, unless the whole mission is classified."

Jan raised an eyebrow. "Wexter, when it comes to you, very little ever stays classified."

"Hey!" he said defensively, "I resemble that remark."

The two shared a laugh, and then Wexter spoke.

"Where's Kyle?"

Jan shrugged. "I don't know."

Wexter looked at her face and gave her a knowing look.

"Uh oh, what did you do?"

"Nothing!" Jan said quickly and defensively, "I was just looking at this picture when he got all upset and yelled at me."

She held out the picture to Wexter.

"Oh yeah," he said, "I know this. Kyle got it from his house on Sulon. Told me it was the only image he had of his parents."

"What?"

Wexter shrugged. "That's what he said."

A light bulb flashed on in Jan's mind.

"I need to go," she said quickly.

"What's wrong?"

"I have to find Kyle. I've made a really bad mistake, Wexter. And I have to fix it."

"I'm not sure what's going on, but go ahead. Call me later and let me know what's going on."

"I will," Jan said, turning her scooter around and sending the repulsor powered craft moving down the corridor as fast as it would go.

_Oh, Kyle, _she thought, _why didn't you tell me?_

Arriving at his quarters, Jan tried the chime and knocking, but no one responded. She considered that Kyle might be in there and just not answering her, but dismissed the thought as ludicrous. It wasn't like him to act like that.

_Where else could he have gone?_

And then she remembered.

* * *

**Rebel Star Destroyer **_**Intrepid**_

**Maintenance Hatch #14**

**Thirty Minutes Later**

Kyle stared out at the cacophony of stars, eyes closed, breathing in through his nose, out through his mouth. After blowing up at Jan, he hadn't been sure where he was going until he remembered this place. Arriving, he stood there for several minutes, his breath coming fast and hard from all the exertion he had put himself through getting here.

He also kept replaying the scene with Jan in his mind.

_I shouldn't have yelled like that. Jan was only teasing, I know. It's just that…_

Sudden tears came to his eyes as he thought of the picture. The thought of possibly losing that one last image of his parents made his heart hurt.

_It won't happen. Jan'll probably give it back to me the next time I see her._

Or will she, part of his mind seemed to be saying. The thought was absolutely ridiculous, he knew, but it made his worry increase tenfold. He tried the Jedi calming technique Rahn had taught him, but it didn't work the first time, or the second, or the fifth.

Now, on his tenth attempt, Kyle felt a sense of calm returning to his body. His heart was still beating fast, but not uncontrollably so and his breath was coming a lot easier.

_I'm going to have to find her and ask her again. If I don't get upset, maybe…_

"Kyle?"

Jan's voice came from somewhere behind him. Kyle felt his heart lurch in his chest and his breathing speed up a bit.

_What is she doing here?_

A moment after he said this, a cynical smile came to his face.

_Well, duh, moron. She figured out you were here._

"Kyle?" she called again, her voice closer.

He wanted to turn around and say something to her, but it was if his feet were suddenly welded to the floor. His throat suddenly felt dry and incapable of producing sound. He also wondered what kind of mood she was in.

_She might be mad._

"Kyle, please answer me."

He realized he was going to have to say something. Part of him said it should be kind, conciliatory. But the larger part voted that down in a second.

"What, Jan?" he said, voice even but not kind.

"You left before I could give you back your picture."

"Are you _done_ with it?"

"Yes, I am."

Still not turning to face her, Kyle reached out and back with his right hand. There was a pause and then he felt the flimsiplast touch his palm. Pulling his hand into view, he saw the picture. The image made his heart leap with joy. He had it back! He had it back! He looked at it, the faces there, the expressions, the memories.

"Kyle?"

He realized he should thank her, at the very least. But, the larger part of him was still mad.

"I was wondering if you would."

"Don't be like that, Katarn. It isn't you."

_Now _she was judging him.

"I'll be however I want, Jan. You were the one…"

Kyle felt a sudden weight against his back. Feeling a sensation, he looked down to see two arms snake around his middle.

"I'm sorry, Kyle."

The hot blood rising inside him cooled almost instantly. The retort on his lips died in mid-sentence. And beyond hearing her earnest words, he could almost feel Jan's sincerity.

"Jan, I…"

"I didn't know it was the only picture you had of your parents. I didn't mean to make you so upset."

Kyle felt his whole body relax, a smile coming to his face. Reaching down, he covered Jan's hands with his own.

"Thank you," he said softly.

Turning on his heel, Kyle felt Jan release him as he turned to face her, then felt her arms wrap around him once again. He hugged her back, feeling her face against his chest.

"I'm _really_ sorry," she said.

Allowing her to pull back a little, Kyle stared down into Jan's face. She was smiling up at him, her blue eyes like two sparkling pools.

"Y'know," Jan said, "I meant to tell you this before, but your mom was a beautiful woman."

"Yes," he replied wistfully, "yes, she was."

Letting go with one hand, Jan reached to stroke Kyle's cheek.

"Just like her son."

Kyle felt his heart begin to thump strongly in his chest. Strong emotion was rising in him. Looking down, he saw Jan had closed her eyes. He lowered his face towards hers.

"Commander Ors?"

The sound of a voice nearby was like a square of transparisteel shattering. Jan's eyes snapped open, as did Kyle's. With their collective cheeks turning red with embarrassment, they let go of each other as if they'd been shocked. Without a word, Kyle moved to stand by the viewport once again while Jan did the same, but three paces to the right and two back.

"Commander Ors?" the voice called again.

Sighing, Jan responded. "I'm over here, Vinial."

Coming into sight at the far end of the hallway, the red-skinned Twi'lek smiled as she saw Jan.

"Commander, there you are."

"Give me a moment?" she whispered

"Sure," Kyle replied.

Moving down to where the other was, Jan looked quizzically at her.

"What's up?"

"The dockmaster said he needed to talk to you. He needed you to sign some paperwork regarding the shuttle."

Jan couldn't help a small sigh. "I knew about that, Vinial. I was planning on taking of it tomorrow morning."

"Oh," the Twi'lek said, looking suddenly surprised, "I'm sorry. I didn't realize."

"It's all right," Jan soothed.

"Something wrong?" called Kyle, coming towards the women.

"No," Jan said, turning to look at him over her shoulder, "Vinial was reminding me of the release paperwork for the shuttle."

"Ah yes," Kyle said, making a face, "the joy of paperwork."

Jan smiled at him, and then looked to Vinial who had an uncertain expression on her face.

"Oh, that's right!" she exclaimed, "You two haven't been introduced. Vinial Druugan, meet Kyle Katarn. Kyle, this is Vinial, my copilot from the mission."

"So you're Vinial," Kyle said, stepping forward and extending his hand, "Jan's report didn't do you justice. It's a pleasure to meet you."

But instead of coming forward to accept the proffered hand, the Twi'lek instead seemed to shrink behind Jan. Her expression was partly fear, partly anger. Taken aback, Kyle stood there with his hand out until it became clear Vinial wasn't going to respond.

"What's wrong?" Jan asked.

The Twi'lek didn't answer, but her glare at Kyle was hot enough to melt lead.

"Are you all right?" Kyle said, taking another step forward.

"Stay away!"

The loud cry seemed to echo in the hallway. Looking as if he'd just been struck, Kyle didn't know what to do… or say. Jan turned to face the Twi'lek, a retort on her lips. But when she saw the other's facial expression, her anger faded. Vinial was clearly frightened.

"Vinial?" she said, her voice soft, "what's wrong?"

The Twi'lek said nothing, her eyes still on Kyle.

Feeling increasingly uncomfortable, he made a suggestion. "Maybe I should leave."

Jan started to disagree when she felt a hand encircle her arm. It squeezed gently, but firmly. Understanding what it meant, she turned back to Kyle, her face a mixture of emotions.

"Kyle, I…"

"Its okay, Jan," he said, giving her a warm smile, "take care of your friend. I'm going to head my quarters for a bit. Comm me later?"

Her smile back at him gave the answer.

Moving past the two women, he paused only briefly. "I'm sorry if I upset you, Vinial."

The Twi'lek said nothing. Passing out of the corridor and out of sight, Vinial waited until the clicking sound of Kyle's cane on the floor faded away before releasing Jan's arm.

"So, you wanna tell me what that was all about?"

Vinial looked at her, the mixed expression still on her face.

"His face," she said, "it reminds me… reminds of someone… a man… _the _man…"

"The one who was going to buy you?" Jan ventured.

The Twi'lek nodded.

Jan wanted to laugh, but doing so would be a bit insulting. Instead, she settled for a smile.

"Vinial, I can assure you Kyle is nothing like that. He hates slavers as much as I do. He can be an insensitive jerk at times, but he's basically a good guy."

The Twi'lek didn't look the least bit convinced.

"I mean it," Jan said firmly, "Kyle's the last guy you have to be afraid of."

"He bothers me," said Vinial, "his face, it looks so much like that man…"

"You mean the beard?" Jan asked, "'cause if that's it, I've been looking for an excuse to get him to shave it off."

The Twi'lek shook her head.

"It's more than that. His face…"

_Well, so much for that idea, _Jan thought.

"I do not think I like him," Vinial said.

"Well, you're not the first to feel _that_ way," Jan said, "but I'll tell you this, Vinial."

The Twi'lek looked into her eyes.

"I _trust_ Kyle."

Vinial gave her a wide-eyed look, as if seeking to see if Jan was being serious. The operative's eyes never wavered.

"I see," Vinial finally said.

Jan's serious face broke into a smile. "Look, I won't force the issue. No one says you have to like or get along with everyone on the ship. All I ask is give him a chance, okay?"

There was a long pause before the Twi'lek answered.

"I'll… think about it."

"Good enough," Jan said, "now, since I seem to have some free time, how about you and me go take care of that paperwork?"

Vinial gave her a questioning look and then she smiled. "Yes, I'd like that."

Jan extended a hand to her. "Let's go."

The Twi'lek took her hand and off they went.

* * *

**Rebel Star Destroyer **_**Intrepid**_

**Quarters of Kyle Katarn**

**An Hour Later**

"I just can't figure it out, no matter how I look at it. I wasn't aggressive, didn't raise my voice or anything like that. So why was she afraid?"

Floating a short distance away, Wee Gee let out a string of beeps and whistles, talking to Kyle who sitting on his bunk.

Kyle shook his head at the droid. "Calling her names doesn't help, Weeg."

The droid "spoke" again.

"No, I've never met any of her kind before. The Empire was pretty much anti-alien and even with all the different races aboard the _Intrepid;_ I've never seen a Twi'lek before except from what I remember from history class."

Suddenly, he snapped his fingers.

"Maybe, that's it. Weeg, can you do a quick search on Twi'leks and see what you can find out, particularly in their interactions with humans."

The droid fell silent for nearly a minute as it worked. Then, another group of whistles and honks issued from its vocabulator.

"Slaves, huh? That might explain some of her behavior."

"Some?" Wee Gee said.

"Slavers are the lowest form of life in the galaxy, Weeg. Some of 'em treat their 'charges' like cattle. I imagine the Twi'leks have a lot of built up resentment. "

The droid said more.

"I know it doesn't excuse her behavior, Weeg, but it _does_ make sense to me now."

The droid beeped some more.

"You're right about her needing to get used to men now that she's part of the New Republic, but at the same time, old memories can die hard."

The droid asked a question.

"Now how am I supposed to know how she feels about droids, Weeg?"

The droid said something else to which Kyle shook his head.

"No, I am _not_ gonna ask Jan to find out for you."

"So what are you going to do?" the droid asked.

"I'm not sure," Kyle said, "I guess I'll try giving her some space for now. Maybe later, I can try talking to her. Truth be told, I'm not that worried about it. She's Jan's friend, not mine."

Just then, he heard the sound of knuckles rapping on his door.

He smiled. "Come in, Jan."

The door slid open to reveal the form of his friend.

"Hi."

"Hi," he said back, "you coming in?"

Jan responded by stepping inside, the door closing behind her.

"So," he said, "how's Vinial?"

"She's fine," Jan said, "look Kyle, you need to understand…"

He held up a hand.

"Weeg just gave me the lowdown on the Twi'lek race. I had no idea what they've been through."

Jan nodded. "It's pretty bad. And Vinial seems especially sensitive, especially when it comes to you."

"What do you mean?"

Jan looked uncomfortable.

"Uh oh, I know that face. She said something bad about me, didn't she?"

Jan nodded.

"Well, either I can try guessing or you can just tell me, your choice of course."

A hint of a smile crossed her face before the somber expression returned.

"Vinial said you remind her of a man who was going to buy her."

Kyle felt a sensation as if he had been physically struck. His eyes went wide, his mouth gaped open.

Jan was quick to say more. "I told her you were nothing like that, and you're a nice guy."

"A nice guy, huh? Is that what I really am?"

"When you're not being a wiseass, yes."

The two of them chuckled, a bit of the tension in the room dissipating. Then Kyle spoke again.

"I had a feeling her reaction has something to with her people being slaves, but this… I had no idea. I…"

In three quick steps, Jan was sitting next to him on the bed, an arm across his shoulders.

"I'm sorry," she said, "I almost didn't want to tell you."

He managed a weak smile.

"It's okay. Probably better for me to hear it from you than someone else. I see why she acted like she did, but still…"

The hand across his shoulders let go and now reached to grasp his chin. Jan turned his face towards hers.

"Kyle?"

"Yeah?"

"You are _nothing_ like that. I told Vinial that most emphatically."

Seeing her strong blue eyes boring into him conveyed the truth and sincerity in her words.

"I also told her I trust you."

_That_ hit Kyle strongly. It was something already implicit in their relationship, but to have Jan say it…

He smiled at her.

"Thank you."

Jan smiled back at him. "Actually, I thought it might have something to do with this beard."

He raised an eyebrow.

"And?"

Jan's lips curled in a smirk. "You're off the hook this time. Vinial said that wasn't it."

"Does it _really_ bother you?"

Jan let her eyes rove over his face, studying it.

She sighed. "Not really. It's just that I liked your face the way it was before. This was such a dramatic change."

She paused.

"But I suppose I'll get used to it."

"Good," he said firmly, "'cause I ain't shaving it!"

They both laughed.

Kyle leaned in towards her.

"What do you're think you're doing, Katarn?"

"Finishing what we started before," he said.

Jan smiled, moving her face towards his.

A series of beeps interrupted.

Pulling back, Kyle turned an angry glare on the droid.

"No, you _cannot _watch, Weeg. And unless you want go offline for a while, I'd suggest you make yourself scarce."

The droid raised the heavier of its two arms in a defensive gesture. In response, Kyle smirked.

"Jan, you've got your ion wrench, don't you?"

He winked at her.

"It just so happens I do," she said, reaching a hand into one of her many pockets.

Just then, the door chime went off. Jan looked to Kyle who looked to Wee Gee and back to Jan.

"I wasn't expecting anyone," he said.

Jan sighed heavily. "You'd better check. It might be something important."

Frowning, Kyle rose to his feet and stepped towards the door. "Come in."

The door slide aside and in stepped two men.

"Caston, Wexter… hi."

The younger of the two men smiled.

"Glad to see both back from your missions, my friends. And now, in order to properly appreciate your return, Wexter and I are here to extend an invitation to come celebrate with us."

Caught by surprise, Kyle worked to figure out something to say.

"Wow… yeah. Wasn't really… expecting this."

"That's why it's called a surprise," said Wexter.

"Yeah," Kyle admitted, "I just really didn't know. My leg still isn't all that good. And Jan just got back. I'm not really sure…"

Caston gave him a disappointed look, and then smiled.

"I thought you might feel that way. But I really can't accept that answer."

Turning to look over his shoulder, the Alderaanian raised his voice.

"Rastell, Plana, come in here please.

Kyle's eyes grew wide as two of the largest beings he had ever seen somehow managed to squeeze in through the doorframe. He recognized their names from the personnel that had gone with Jan.

Now he stared, all but dumbfounded as the two beings looked down at him.

"In case you didn't already know," Caston said, "these two serve as security personnel here on the _Intrepid_."

_I can believe that, _thought Kyle.

"But in this case, I have contracted their services just for this occasion. Officer Rastell, Officer Plana, do your duty."

"Yes, sir," the two large beings said.

Before Kyle could quite comprehend what was happening, the one called Rastell stepped forward and encircled the operative's shoulders with two massive hands, gently but firmly raising him off the floor.

Plana stepped over to where Jan sat. "Commander, I'm sorry about this…"

Jan responded by laughing. "Don't be Plana. Besides, you have your orders. And as your former Commander, I expect you to carry them out."

The large woman smiled as she reached down and pulled Jan up and off the bed, nestling her in the crook of a massive arm.

"Objective secured, sir," Rastell said.

"Very good, Officer," Caston said, "then let us go."

And so it was that Jan and Kyle found themselves "transported" to an unused room that had been converted for their use. Upon the arrival of the group, they found several other members of the crew waiting.

Stepping inside, Rastell gently deposited Kyle on the ground, and then spoke.

"Hope there's no hard feelings."

Kyle shook his head. "None at all. Just glad you're on _our_ side."

Rastell laughed, a deep basso sound.

Nearby, Jan smiled up at Plana.

"Thank you. That was fun."

The large woman smiled back at her.

"All right everyone!" Wexter called loudly, "we've got the guests of honor, so let's get this party started!"


	16. Chapter 16: Vinial's Fall

**Kyle Katarn: The Rise & Fall **

**Book 2: Birth of a Jedi **

**Chapter 16: Vinial's Fall

* * *

**

A/N: Happy Friday, everyone! Sorry this chap's a day late, but to be honest it wasn't anywhere near ready yesterday and since sucky chapters ain't my style, I decided to hold it for a day. But it's done now and ready for your viewing pleasure. The Vinial/Jan arc reaches its climatic moment in this chapter and will provide part of the connection point to Kyle's next mission. But before you delve in, the shout outs!

Nerwen Aldarion: Oh snap! A hit list? Oh boy, I'm in trouble. Toy with you? Absolutely n… okay, yeah I did. But there's reason to my supposed madness. For all that tension set you up for this chapter. Thanks for the compliment, I felt the conversations in Chapter 15 flowed well, it felt very natural to me. That little mini-fight was fun to write, kinda shades of those two from Book 1. Yeah, Chap 15 definitely a lot better after Chap 14. Wee Gee is quickly becoming the new comedy relief. Only a droid could get away with stuff like that.

Tinuviel Undomiel: Yeah, Vinial and Wee Gee definitely need to work on their respective timing. Oh well. You got the whole Jan/Kyle fight scene exactly. My idea was to show how they've still got work to do on their relationship, although they're quicker to realize their mistakes now. Thank you for such a nice compliment. You definitely know how to bring a smile to my face! I may explore Vinial some more, haven't decided yet. Hope your exams went well. VCU students are supposed to have been studying for them this week. But given the number who showed up at Financial Aid, I wonder!

Manus Dei: Vinial is basically taking a crush to the extreme, assuming and pretending when reality and the facts don't fit the moment. Glad the whole Jan/Vinial didn't bother you. Trouble for Kyle? I'm gonna have to think about that. Oh yeah, wait'll you see what happens at the party.

Mach Farcon: Thank you for saying that. I truly appreciate it and it definitely gave my ego a short in the arm. It makes me appreciate you and the rest of my audience all the more.

No Name Reviewer: You're always welcome back! Truthfully, I just make the character names up as I go along. It's not always easy, but I just kinda ask my imagination for a name and it gives me one! The whole idea was kinda to repeat things like I had them with Blaze, but it just wasn't working. Thanks for the compliment. Hope you like this one.

A/N: One last thing before you begin, my friends. I want to say thanks once more for your honest feedback and support over my attempt at a Jan/Vinial relationship in Chapter 14. It wasn't one of my better ideas as it turned out, but because of y'all, I was able to find a way to repair the "damage" and from it (I think) has come something better than what I had originally changed. Of course, the true test comes from what you think. Looking forward to the reviews!

* * *

**New Republic Command Ship **_**Intrepid**_

**Welcome back party for Kyle and Jan**

A chorus of cheers went up as Caston positioned himself behind a makeshift bar and began passing out drinks. Wexter led the first toast welcoming Jan and Kyle back.

Caught in the relative chaos, the operatives decided to relax and enjoy the fun. Other persons showed up and joined the crowd of well wishers and partiers. Food and drink seemed to be endless and within arms' reach all over the place. An hour passed as the room became abuzz with several conversations and other toasts. Several familiar faces were present, including Tinuviel and Nerwen, Mach Farcon, Atarn Daman, Chief Brolly, Wineglass, Bjrn Fallqvist, Dav Flamerock, Luntic Pandora, Catiene Tails, Fensta, Phygmalion and Manus Dei.

As food and drink were consumed in liberal quantities, the mood in the room became more festive. By the third hour, the party was in full swing. Both Kyle and Jan had decided their "sentence" was an altogether pleasant one. They also made mental notes to never underestimate Caston Droum and Wexter Wayfarer again. When a music synthesizer was brought in and began to play several lively tunes, interspersed with some slow ones, impromptu couples all over the room began to gather and dance.

A space was cleared to one side so that those not dancing wouldn't interfere with those who were. Leaning against the bar, Kyle was sipping his third glass of juri juice and talking to Caston when someone walked up next to him. Casually looking over, he saw one of the two large beings from before. A search of his memory brought her name to him.

"Hi Plana," he said.

"Hi," she returned, nodding to Caston as she accepted a drink from him. "So, what do you think of all this?"

"I think Caston Droum and Wexter Wayfarer are two very underhanded men who I've grossly underestimated."

"You'd better believe it," the bartender said with a smile.

Plana looked at Kyle with an expression that said she thought he might be angry. Instead, he chuckled.

"At the same time, I don't think I mind what happened all that much. This party was good idea."

The relief Plana felt was clearly visible in her expression. After raising their glasses to each other, the two of them stood there, looking out at the virtual sea of people.

"You ever dance?" Plana asked suddenly.

"Not much," Kyle said, a bit surprised by the question, "although Jan taught me a little."

"Oh," the large woman said.

"How about you?" he asked.

"Me?"

When Kyle nodded, Plana shrugged. "A little bit. I _do_ enjoy it."

A slight turn of his head allowed Kyle to look at the large woman without being noticed. A smile came to his face as he noticed the bit of color in her cheeks.

_As big as she is, and she's actually embarrassed! Go figure._

Her expression indicated she wanted to say more, but was hesitating. Kyle debated about what to do. His leg still wasn't 100%, but he thought he might be okay without the cane for a time. His searching eye brought with it a new observation. For all her size and possible menace, Plana was, as they say, easy on the eyes.

_Oh, why the heck not? _he decided. _As long as I'm careful._

Hooking the cane onto the bar, he moved to stand in front of Plana and with a small flourish, bowed from the waist.

"Then, "he said, "raising his head to look up at her, "would the lady grant me the pleasure?"

Plana's eyes went wide as she figured out what he was saying.

"Umm… I…. I'd like to… but…"

"Then if you will," he said, extending a hand to her.

"But… your leg," Plana said, her concern evident, "I don't want to…"

"I think it'll be okay, "Kyle said confidently, "just go easy on me, okay?"

Plana was still hesitant. She _did _want to dance, but as big as she was, doing so with most other species was difficult. Still… he _was_ offering.

"All right," she said, "Let's give it a try," she said.

Allowing Kyle to take her by the hand, Plana accompanied him out onto the dance floor. The two of them initially made quite the sight and drew a number of stares. The size difference made their movements awkward and uncoordinated at first. But, as they continued to move and turn, the pair gradually found a rhythm that worked well for them.

"Everyone's looking at us," Plana observed.

"So what?" Kyle said, smiling up at her. "Let 'em look. They're probably just jealous."

That brought a smile to the large woman's face. She became lost in the dance for a while, simply enjoying the feeling. She also appreciated her dance partner. He was proving to be quite the man.

A few minutes later, when the song ended, Plana was even more surprised as the dancers around them turned to her and Kyle and applauded. Taking Plana's right hand in his left, Kyle made a theatrical bow to the crowd and after a moment, Plana did similarly. Then a sudden move sent the operative spinning around. A second later, the breath was effectively squashed out of him as the large woman enveloped him in a hug. Releasing him a few seconds later, she beamed at him.

"Thank you," she said effusively, "I enjoyed that."

Still recovering his breath, Kyle managed to return the smile, "My pleasure."

Having just finished dancing with Wexter, Jan watched as Plana walked with Kyle back towards the bar.

_Nice work, Katarn._

She also felt a strong pang in her heart as she watched them. More than anything, she wanted to go over and ask Kyle to dance with her too. But given the atmosphere and all the people who knew them that were here, she was concerned about how it might look. She especially noticed the watchful eyes of Tinuviel and Nerwen.

Stepping off the dance floor, Jan was heading for one of a collection of tables set to one side of the room when a hand reached out and grabbed her wrist. It pulled, and Jan found herself pulled backwards. Her dancer's instincts kicked in and she pivoted gracefully on one heel to face the other person. A small gasp escaped her mouth as she recognized the face.

"Vinial," she said, frowning at the Twi'lek, "what are you doing?"

The red-skinned alien continued pulling, bringing Jan back onto the dance floor.

"I wanted to dance with you," Vinial said, a hopeful look on her face.

Jan's return look was quizzical. "Well, instead of grabbing me, you could have just asked."

The Twi'lek seemed instantly repentant. "I'm sorry. I just didn't want to miss the chance. You don't mind, do you?"

Jan _did_ mind a little. She didn't appreciate aggressive moves like this, especially given the earlier encounter and Vinial's reaction to Kyle. She decided that she was going to have to talk to Vinial about this later. If the two of them were going to be friends, certain boundaries were going have to be set.

_Still_, she decided, _it _is_ only one dance._

She smiled at the Twi'lek. "I suppose not."

The two women began dancing, the sight of them attracting several eyes, and not all of them friendly ones. Jan was wondering a bit at this when she caught new movement out of the corner of her eye. Looking to her left, a laugh escaped her mouth as she saw Tinuviel and Nerwen more or less dragging Kyle back onto the dance floor. She could only wonder how he was going to manage to dance with the twins.

_Good luck,_ she thought.

So intrigued was she by the thought that, even as she and Vinial continued to move and turn, Jan kept glancing towards where Kyle was. And once again she laughed. Somehow, even with his bad leg, Kyle was managing to execute about a half dozen steps with Tinuviel. Then, pivoting on his good foot, he'd turn to Nerwen and do the same set of steps.

And while the trio did well at first, they each began to laugh at the situation they were in, their moves becoming less and less coordinated. It finally took Kyle nearly falling and Nerwen catching him before the three decided they had had enough.

"Jan?"

Looking away from where Kyle and the twins were exiting the dance floor, she answered Vinial.

"Yes?"

The Twi'lek seemed to study her for a moment before speaking. "You dance very well."

"Thanks," Jan replied, even as a part of her mind went, _Huh?_

A minute later, when the song ended, Jan began to detach herself from the Twi'lek. But Vinial still had a hold of her wrist. Looking at her, Jan saw concern in the alien's face.

"Something wrong?"

A look crossed the red-skinned alien's face, a rather strange look.

"Jan, I need to talk to you. Do you have a moment?"

"Right _now_?"

"It's important," Vinial said.

Jan looked around the room, finding herself suddenly wishing someone she knew was nearby.

But everyone seemed engaged at the moment. A persistent voice in her head was telling her that something was wrong, but what the danger was, she couldn't see, hear or feel. Chiding herself for jumping to idle conclusion, she acquiesced.

"I suppose."

Vinial shook her head. "Not here. Let's talk outside."

Jan sighed. This was getting a bit ridiculous.

"Fine."

The pair moved passed other partygoers until they reached the door and stepped out into the hall. Vinial held Jan's hand the whole way, which was making the operative uncomfortable.

* * *

Once they were outside and the door closed, Jan was the first to speak. "Okay, Vinial. What's so important that we had to come out here for you to tell me?"

The Twi'lek didn't answer at first, her expression saying she was a bit taken aback by Jan's less than friendly tone.

"Vinial…" Jan started to say.

"Jan, why are you upset?"

"I'm not upset," the operative immediately countered. Then, hearing her own voice, she adjusted her tone. "I'm just sensing some weird things here, Vinial. You've been acting odd ever since we got back. "

"I'm sorry," the alien said, "I didn't mean to upset you."

"Oh for the love of…"

Jan felt her anger rising again, but didn't know why. Right now, all she wanted was to do was go back inside the room, to be among people again. Still, looking at the expression on the Twi'leks' face, she felt a pang of guilt as well.

_Okay Ors, stay calm. Find out what she wants and then you can go back inside._

Taking a deep breath, she spoke in a calmer tone. "Vinial, why did you call me out here?"

A small smile came to the alien's face.

"I had to tell you something, something important."

"And that is?"

Vinial paused before continuing, a pause so long Jan felt her temper rising once again.

The Twi'lek suddenly spoke. "I like you."

The statement was said so quickly and plainly that Jan wasn't sure how to respond at first. It seemed rather nonsensical to her.

This_ is what was so important?_

"Okay, Vinial, "she said dismissively, "That's fine and all, but…"

The alien cut her off, shaking her head. When she spoke, her tone was more impassioned.

"You don't understand, Jan. Please listen to me. I _like_ you."

For Jan Ors, an instant after her mind had processed the words; it felt as if all time had suddenly stopped. Her logical mind went over them a second time and found the words the same as before.

_Did I hear that right? Did Vinial just say what I think she said?_

The red-skinned alien continued. "You're just like me Jan. You're alone, adrift, no home to go to, no one who's there for you."

The operative felt a cold shiver work its way down her spine.

"But now you can," Vinial continued, "you can with me, Jan. We can have it together."

The operative's mind was reeling. When Vinial had called her out here, she had had a weird feeling, a sensation that something wasn't quite right. It made no sense to her, and yet this had happened; Vinial had spoken the words, her tone and expression indicating she meant every one of them. The whole thing was crazy.

And then, in the cacophony, one thought rose above all else.

_I'm definitely _not _interested._

Still, she decided to try letting the Twi'lek down easy. The last she wanted to do was hurt Vinial with an out-and-out rejection. For now, she'd go with kid gloves.

"Vinial," Jan said, smiling at the red-skinned alien, "I… appreciate what you're saying, your feelings and all. Truthfully, it's kind of flattering. But what you've said, I'm afraid you've got me wrong."

"What?" the Twi'lek said, her expression indicating a complete lack of understanding

"I'm not alone or adrift, Vinial. I have a home here on this ship. And I have people who care about me."

"But there's no one close to you," the Twi'lek challenged.

"You're wrong about that too," Jan replied, "I do have people here who are close to me."

"Who?" Vinial demanded.

Jan raised an eyebrow at her. The Twi'lek was beginning to push her luck. "That's none of your business, Vinial."

The red-skinned alien was shaking her head, "No, this isn't right. You're not telling me the truth."

The rejection of Jan's words was said so flatly the operative knew the Twi'lek was either not listening or simply wouldn't allow herself to believe what had been said. Growing impatient with both Vinial and the situation itself, Jan steeled herself. This wasn't going to be easy. She had tried being nice and it clearly not working.

_Fine then, _she decided. _I'm not playing this game anymore. _

"Y'know what, Vinial?" she said, an edge in her tone, "Whether or not you believe me is up to you. But at this point, I don't really care much one way or another. The point is this, I'm _not_ interested. Now, I'd appreciate it if you'd let me go. I'm heading back to the party."

But the Twi'lek didn't let go. A stricken expression appeared on her face.

"Jan, why are you saying these things? What's happened to you?"

"Vinial, let go of me."

She tried to break the hold on her wrist, but the Twi'lek held fast. She was obviously stronger than she appeared to be.

"Tell me what's happened, "Vinial pleaded, "I'll listen."

"I said, let me go."

Jan was angry now, angry enough that she was ready to use physical force on the Twi'lek. The situation was getting out of hand.

But Vinial was adamant. "Not until you explain to me what's wrong."

"I'm not interested in explaining anything to you, Vinial. Now let me go or I'll make you."

Something flashed in the Twi'lek's eyes and Jan winced as the grip on her wrist tightened.

"That hurts, Vinial."

It actually hurt more than the operative let on. But she was determined not to show weakness.

"What is wrong with you, Jan? Why are you being mean to me?"

"Because you're hurting me. Now let go."

The pressure increased.

"Vinial, I'm warning you…"

"Why are you treating me like this? We had gotten so close and now…"

Jan cried out as the pressure intensified more. She went down to one knee.

"Tell me what's going on, Jan. I won't stop until you do. Tell me…"

Suddenly, the Twi'lek screamed, a high sound that filled the corridor. The pressure on Jan's wrist vanished and she pulled the arm free, shaking it a few times to restore the blood flow. Red blotches appeared in the spots where Vinial's fingers had been. It tingled as sensation returned. Jan carefully massaged the wounded place with her other hand.

"Jan," a voice called, "are you okay?"

"Are you all right?" called a second.

Recognizing them, the operative rose to her feet and moved to where she could see. Vinial had stopped screaming but was crouched on the floor, her eyes closed, voice still calling out in pain. And there, standing behind the Twi'lek, each of them holding a lekku, were Tinuviel Undomiel and Nerwen Aldarion.

"You two," Jan said, "How…?"

"We saw you head out with her," said Tinuviel.

"When you didn't come back after a few minutes, we got worried," added Nerwen.

"It's a good thing you did, "said Jan, still holding her injured wrist, "thanks."

The twins smiled at her.

"No problem," said Nerwen, "we're friends."

"And friends are always there for each other," finished Tinuviel.

Jan smiled back at them, and then turned to look at Vinial.

"I think you can let her go now."

"Are you sure?" asked Nerwen, glaring at the Twi'lek.

"She might try something else," added Tinuviel, the same glare on her face.

"Not with three of us here," Jan concluded, "so let go, please?"

Reluctantly, the twins released their holds on Vinial's lekku. The Twi'lek's eyes snapped open and she rose to her feet, reaching behind her to caress the head tails.

"That hurt!" she cried, "What did you two savages think you were doing?"

"Helping a friend," Tinuviel said angrily, her eyes meeting the alien's.

Nerwen nodded, her eyes also on Vinial and her voice matching her sisters'. "What's your explanation?"

"Explanation? For what?"

"For hurting Jan," the twins said together.

Watching them, Jan could hardly believe these two were the same innocent looking and devil-may-care women she knew. Both of them looked ready to take Vinial down. They seem almost eager for the Twi'lek to try something.

Vinial stared at them a moment, seemingly shocked at the pair speaking simultaneously. "I wasn't hurting her. I was just talking to her."

"Right," scoffed Nerwen, "and we're a couple of seamstresses."

"We _saw_ you," added Tinuviel.

The Twi'lek looked to Jan, her eyes widening.

"Jan," she said, taking a step towards the operative, "what happened? Are you all right?"

"Just stay right there, Vinial. Don't come any closer."

Hurting as she was, the operative assumed a defensive stance. There was no way she was going to let the Twi'lek get any closer.

"But Jan…"

"I mean it," Jan said, the anger she felt evident in her voice, "not one step."

"We're here too, Vinial," said Nerwen, fists raised.

"So don't trying anything stupid," added Tinuviel, eyes flashing.

"I don't understand this," Vinial said, "why are you…?"

"Quit the playacting, Vinial," Jan said angrily, shaking her head, "I've heard about all I can stand. I don't know what your malfunction is, but I'm not playing this game anymore."

Tinuviel and Nerwen moved to stand next to Jan, their fierce gazes directed towards the Twi'lek.

"Jan, I don't…"

"Shut up," the operative said curtly, "Tinuviel, Nerwen, if she starts another sentence like that, you know what to do."

The twins smiled confidently. "Yes, we do," they said together.

Realizing that any further attempts at subterfuge or deception would be of no use, Vinial changed tactics.

"I thought you understood me, Jan," she said, a strange light in her eyes, "you and I, we're two of a kind. I just wanted us to be together."

"You didn't hear one word I said, did you?" Jan retorted, glaring at the Twi'lek "I'm _nothing_ like you, Vinial. I've got friends, friends like these two."

Vinial's eyes moved from Tinuviel to Nerwen and back to Jan.

"And let me tell you something else," the operative said, "I don't know what Twi'lek relationships are like, but I'm not interested in exploring anything with you. You got it?"

For the first time since the incident had begun, the Twi'lek said nothing.

"So unless you want more trouble than you can handle, I'd suggest you get out of here right now."

"And if I don't?" Vinial said in a challenging way. A strange smile was on the Twi'leks' face. A smile that made Jan's blood run cold. It also enraged her, a field of red moving across her eyes.

"Then we'll get involved," said a new voice.

The Twi'lek whirled to see Rastell and Plana standing nearby as well as several people from the party. All were looking towards Jan or glaring at Vinial.

The red-skinned alien made one last attempt. "Jan, please, I never meant…"

"Shut up!" Jan yelled, anger boiling inside her, "and get out here before I decide to do something."

"And what is that?" Vinial said with sudden anger, "You gonna slap me?"

Before anyone realized it was happening, Jan had crossed the short distance between her and the Twi'lek. Vinial's eyes went wide as the breath exploded from her mouth, Jan's upraised knee slamming into her mid-section. Bending over, the Twi'lek fell onto her knees, arms cradling her middle.

Jan reached down and grabbed the alien's chin, raising it so Vinial was looking at her. The Twi'lek's expression was pained, but also scared. She clearly never expected Jan to actually hit her.

"Whatever works," the operative said simply.

Silence reigned in the space, everyone watching Jan and Vinial. After a minute, the Twi'lek rose slowly, still holding herself. She looked once more at Jan and then without another word, passed by and out of the area. The quiet went on for another minute until a voice spoke.

"Well," Caston Droum said, "guess the party's over for now. Sorry, everyone."

There was good-natured grumbling, but most understood what had happened and left in relative peace, but not before stopping where Jan was and offering a word of praise, comfort, apology or encouragement. By the time the last one had filed passed, the operative's anger had abated and she actually felt a little better, buoyed on a sea of good wishes.

"Are you sure you're all right, Jan?" asked Tinuviel.

"How does the arm feel?" asked Nerwen.

"Better," Jan said, displaying the wrist to the two women. The red marks had faded and there appeared to be no other damage.

The twins breathed a collective sigh of relief.

"That's good," said Nerwen.

"We were worried," added Tinuviel.

"I can't thank you both enough," said Jan. "If you hadn't shown up when you did…"

The twins smiled at her.

"We're glad we were there for you," said Nerwen.

"We're also sorry for what happened," said Tinuviel.

"It wasn't your fault," Jan said, "who knew Vinial would act like that?"

"I suppose you're right," said Tinuviel.

"Still, it makes us mad," said Nerwen.

Just then, a new voice entered.

"Hey there, partner. How are you doing?

It was Kyle, his voice anxious and full of concern.

Jan glanced up at him, feeling partly glad he was there, but also partly angry that he hadn't been there sooner.

"And just where the hell were you, Katarn?" she said, her anger winning over.

Surprised by her reaction, Kyle started to react defensively, but then stopped. He felt something, like an idea or a notion in his mind. It told him that Jan was more upset than angry. The look on her face confirmed it.

"I'm sorry, Jan," he said, "when we all heard the shouting from outside, I tried to get out, but I wasn't quick enough."

"Well, then," she replied, her voice losing some of the fire in it, "it's a good thing Tinuviel and Nerwen were here."

"Yes, it was," Kyle said. He looked to the twins. "Thanks, both of you."

They smiled back at him. "No problem," said Nerwen.

"We're glad we could help," added Tinuviel, "although I'm not sure if Jan really needed us."

"I know what you mean," echoed Nerwen, "the way she took out Vinial. Pow!"

She mimed the knee lift Jan had executed.

"We should probably get you to Sickbay," said Rastell, moving to stand behind Kyle, "get that wrist looked at."

"I can take you," offered Plana.

"No."

The assembled group looked at Jan, each with the same incredulous expression.

"What…" began Tinuviel.

"Did you say?" finished Nerwen.

"I said, no."

"Jan…" Plana began.

"If I go to Sickbay, they'll want to know what happened."

"So?" said Rastell.

"So, I'm not willing to turn this incident into a big mess."

"But, Jan," Tinuviel said, "what Vinial did…"

"You can't just let this go," added Nerwen confidently.

"I'm not planning on letting it go," Jan said, "but _I'll_ be the one to deal with Vinial, on my terms, no one else's."

"Jan?"

"What, Katarn?"

"Are you sure?"

She looked him in the eye.

"Okay," Kyle said, shrugging, "I don't agree, but okay."

"Jan, I really don't think…"

"Rastell," Kyle said, turning to the big man, "she's made up her mind."

"And what if Vinial does something else?" Plana asked.

"I don't think she will," Kyle said, "not after tonight."

"Are you sure?" asked Tinuviel.

"What if you're wrong?" asked Nerwen.

"Look, everyone," Kyle said, "no matter what any of us think, I think we can agree its Jan's problem to take care of."

There was silence for a long moment before anyone spoke.

"I suppose," Rastell said quietly.

"I don't like it," Plana said, "but you're right."

"We don't like it either," the twins said together, "but, okay."

"Good enough, partner?"

Jan nodded and then spoke; her voice even. "I appreciate this, everyone. Thanks… I… thanks."

Tinuviel and Nerwen stepped over and hugged her, while Plana and Restall watched, uncertain if they should join in. Then Jan turned to Kyle.

"We need to talk, Katarn. Come with me."

For a moment, he hesitated, wondering if Jan was mad at him.

_She'll probably be madder if I _don't _follow her._

"Coming," he called, moving to trail just behind her.

The others watched them go.

"What do you suppose that's about?" asked Restall.

Tinuviel and Nerwen exchanged a knowing look, and then focused on the two golden-skinned beings.

"You want to know?" they asked together.

Taken aback by how the two talked at the same time, Plana and Restall exchanged a look.

"About what?" Plana asked.

"About them," Tinuviel said.

"We know some things," added Nerwen.

"What kind of things?" asked Restall.

"Come with us…" began Nerwen.

"And you'll find out," finished Tinuviel.

Feeling a bit perplexed, but also curious, the two golden-skinned beings nodded, following the twins as they exited the corridor.

* * *

**Rebel Star Destroyer **_**Intrepid**_

**Maintenance Hatch #14**

**Ten Minutes Later**

Jan stood at the oversize window, gazing out at the stars. Kyle stood nearby, his eyes looking from the view outside to her and back. He wanted to say something. To apologize, to offer comfort, to help, but the words wouldn't come. Jan hadn't said anything since telling him to come with her. And for some reason, Kyle felt like the best thing to do for now was remain quiet.

Suddenly, Jan spoke. "Y'know, I should be awfully angry with you, Katarn."

"Huh?"

"We're supposed to be partners. You're supposed to have my back."

Feeling the steely finger of accusation pluck at his heart, Kyle felt the defensive response come again, but he quashed it. Attacking Jan was the last thing he needed to do right now.

"I'm sor…."

"Don't apologize. None of this was your fault."

"Okay, but what should I…"

"Don't say anything."

"Okay."

Jan shook her head. "No, that's not what I mean. Look, I…"

She fell silent again. A minute passed.

"Kyle?"

Her voice was softer now.

"Yes?"

"Would you hold me?"

The request was so unexpected that he had no idea how to respond at first. He knew Jan was waiting for answer, but what should he say?

"Huh?" he managed.

_Oh great, _he thought, _smooth one, Kyle. _

"Would you hold me?" Jan repeated.

Expecting a retort, possibly a complaint from her, hearing the request again was even more unexpected. This time, he managed to utter a slightly more articulate response.

"Um… sure… if you want… I can…"

"Just get over here, Katarn," she said flatly.

Two steps were all that was needed for him to stand behind her. Feeling worried, but wanting to do as she had asked, Kyle reached his arms around Jan's middle, his hands coming to hover just above her stomach.

With a frustrated sigh, Jan covered his hands with hers and pressed them down until they were touching her shirt, the sensation of the material against his hands sending pleasure signals and warnings of danger to his brain. Then he felt a soft weight against his chest as Jan leaned back, her head against his upper chest, her hair brushing against his chin.

Another minute passed.

"This feels good," she said.

"Good," he said, the nervousness he felt evident in his voice, "that's good."

"Katarn?"

"Yes, Jan?"

"Shut up."

"Yes, Jan."

Suddenly, she laughed, the sound partially filling the space. The laughter went for several seconds and then suddenly cut off. Jan suddenly let go of Kyle's hand and, turning round, flattened herself against him, arms wrapping strongly around his midsection.

Unsure of what he should do, Kyle held his hands in mid-air.

"Um… should I…"

"Hold me, Kyle. Please."

He responded by wrapping his arms around her.

The first sob reached his ears seconds later. Looking down, Kyle was unable to see Jan's face, but he could hear her.

_She's crying._

A minute passed as Jan cried silent tears. Then, drawing her face back a bit from Kyle's chest, she began to talk.

"I was so scared. When she grabbed me… I never thought she'd act like that. I…"

She buried her face in his chest again, the sobs louder now. Kyle reached up with one hand and placed it atop her head.

"I'm sorry," he said, his voice low and nearly indistinct, "I should have been there for you."

"I was so scared," Jan said again, "the look on her face…"

Kyle began to gently stroke her hair, feeling the smoothness of it, the texture.

"I'm sorry," he repeated.

They stayed like that as Jan poured out her fear and anger. Kyle continued to tell her he was sorry and how he wished he had been there. Several minutes later, when the last of her tears had come, Jan realized how good she felt right now. Wrapped in Kyle's arms, she felt safe and secure. It was a strange feeling, not one she'd ever known before. Pulling her face off his chest, she looked up. Kyle was staring down at her, his face full of concern and worry.

Pulling one of her hands free, she reached up to touch his face, feeling the sensation of his skin and the slightly rough surface of his beard. She whispered his name and a moment later, their lips met. She tightened her hold on him and Kyle responded by doing the same. Sensations, feelings, unspoken words, a thousand upon thousand things passed between them as they stood there, holding each other, eyes closed, minds' eyes seeing nothing except each other. When at last their lips parted, the operatives looked at each other, strong emotions filling them.

And then Kyle yawned.

Jan glared at him. "Way to ruin the mood, Katarn!"

Kyle's initial temptation was to try and explain, but Jan's expression said that would be futile. So he settled for a simpler choice.

"I couldn't help it. I'm tired."

"Oh, are you up past your bed time?" Jan teased, still glaring.

"Actually, I am" Kyle said, lifting his wrist to where she could she see it, "and so are you."

Jan's eyes widened a little as she read the display.

"That can't be right," she said.

"It's calibrated to the ship's master clock," he countered.

Knowing Kyle was telling the truth, Jan still had trouble believing it. Kyle's chrono showed that it was 0300 hours.

"And we've both got meetings tomorrow," she said, shaking her head.

"Maybe we should call in sick," Kyle ventured.

"You really think Mon Mothma's gonna buy that?"

Kyle looked uncertain. "Prob'ly not."

Jan's eyes flashed. "Blast Wexter and Caston! If they hadn't decided to have that stupid party, none of this would have happened."

"I'm sure they meant well, Jan."

Hearing this, she softened a little. "Yeah, you're right. I know they didn't mean anything bad. It's just that…"

She shivered a little as she remembered what had happened between her and Vinial.

"Well," Kyle said, "let's find a scooter and head to our quarters. We can get _some_ sleep."

Jan nodded and started out of the room, Kyle trailing behind her. She looked back.

"Go ahead," he said, "I'll catch up."

Jan looked at him a moment, then turned and came back where he was.

"Gimme that thing," she said, taking the cane. Then, as Kyle opened his mouth to protest, she held out her left arm to him.

Kyle stared at it, and then looked to her.

"Go ahead," she said, "you can lean on me. Just not too hard, okay?"

It took a few second for him to understand and then he smiled. Reaching out, he wrapped his hand around Jan's forearm. The skin was soft and warm to the touch, but he also felt the wiry muscle underneath.

"Something, Katarn?"

He shook his head.

"Then let's go," she said. And together they went, Jan supporting Kyle.


	17. Chapter 17: Discussions & Preparations

**Kyle Katarn: The Rise & Fall **

**Book 2: Birth of a Jedi **

**Chapter 17: Discussions & Preparations

* * *

**

A/N: And… there we go! Happy day before Friday, everyone! Shanenest here with the latest chapter of Book 2 of Kyle Katarn: The Rise & Fall. Well, looking at the reviews for Chapter 16, I'd say it was well received despite the late posting. I'm planning on getting to the Baron's Hed mission soon, probably in Chapter 18, but I felt like there was more going that need to be told before the mission commences. But before you get to see what's popped out of my imagination this week, let's do the shout outs!

Nerwen Aldarion: I had a good feeling you were going to like the end of Chapter 16. The dancing thing just seemed to come out of nowhere, but I liked the way it fit. Shoot! You think that's bad, I managed to fall once and fracture four toes in my right foot! Pretty swift. Well, since you two never got to take on Blaze, I figured Vinial'd make a good target. Yep, the secret meeting room where Tinuviel and Nerwen holding their secret meeting about the J&K relationship, admission only to those who support them. My idea is that around Kyle, Jan is able to be… not exactly weak, but vulnerable. I probably shouldn't have put the yawn in there. I honestly wasn't sure what to do, so I went for the funny. But it dinna work! Well, Jan's gonna learn a bit more about Jedi in this chapter so it may provide a clue to her about Kyle, but maybe not.

Tinuviel Undomiel: Yipe! Sorry a thousand times over. I didn't mean to screw up the scene with the yawn. I honestly didn't know what to do there, so I tried going for the funny. Bad idea it seems. Yep, you didn't get Blaze, but you got Vinial. Oh, so you want more of her? Well, you're getting your wish in this chapter. I'm certain that biology classes are designed to fry the brain into a non-working state. A squirrel in the house? Not good! There's a bunch of 'em around the VCU campus, although they usually scatter when people come near. Nothing wrong with being scared of 'em. They're wild, who knows what they'll do?

The Wineglass: So that was you! Good to hear from you again! Yeah, I imagined something along the lines of a jukebox, but closer to a computer if you know what I mean. I've been thinking more about Vinial. She's kinda like Glenn Close's character in Fatal Attraction. With Jan, my idea was to show her as being able to be vulnerable with Kyle. Also, it's kinda like she never expected this to happen, so she's a bit overwhelmed by the whole thing. I like the fluffy scenes too. Don't worry, there's more coming. Thanks for the compliment! Reading a comment like that makes the work that goes into this worth it!

Mach Farcon: Yeah, that's the kind of author I am. I hate those open endings or the less than happy ones. I realize such things happen in real life, but not in my "world". Looking forward to reading your fic!

Manus Dei: See? You get it. That's what the yawn was about, a funny end to a serious scene. Jan being closer around him on missions? I actually address that in this chapter.

A/N: Thanks for so many reviews, everyone! I appreciate you taking the time to leave them. They're both fun and informative. And now, on to the story!

* * *

**New Republic Command Ship **_**Intrepid**_

**The morning after the party**

Both operatives found waking up this morning especially hard given the events of the night before. That, combined with lack of sleep made it all the harder to get up. And so it was that they rose reluctantly from their respective beds; each with a strong desire to fall back and disappear under the covers for several more hours of sack time.

But duty called and both of them were determined that no one would ever be able to say that Kyle Katarn or Jan Ors shirked their duty as members of the New Republic. They caught up to each other in the mess hall a little later, managing to sit near each other without consciously doing so.

Hearing the clattering of a nearby chair, Kyle looked up and saw Jan. She looked as tired as he felt. Still, seeing her brought a smile to his face and also a flash of concern.

"Good morning," he called to her.

Jan looked back at him in surprise, obviously not having expected to find him there. A smile came to her face as well.

"'Mornin'"

"Did you sleep?"

The instant the words escaped his mouth, Kyle wished he hadn't said them. The last thing he wanted to do was bring up last night. But if Jan minded, she gave no sign.

"Some," she replied.

Kyle yawned, much as he had been doing since getting up.

"Nice, Katarn," Jan muttered, "you sound like an old man."

And then she yawned, a long drawn out one.

"Right back at ya, old woman," he retorted.

Jan glared at him, but it didn't seem to faze Kyle. He steadily gazed back at her.

And then, in a strange, high-pitched voice, he said, "I… will… never… blink!"

Jan couldn't hold her expression anymore and laughed.

"What… was that?" she asked after getting control of herself.

"Something I saw in an old comedy holo once," he replied, "not bad, eh?"

Jan's glare was back.

"Don't quit your day job, Katarn."

This time, he laughed, and then mimed as if she had shot him.

"Ouch."

With the mood lightened, the two began to eat, the food and especially the coffee helping each to feel a little more awake and aware. The buzz of other conversations in the room provided a pleasant background hum. Looking at Jan, Kyle debated about asking the question foremost on his mind and finally decided to go for it.

"So, how are you doing?"

Jan's pleasant expression vanished in an instant. She looked away and muttered, "I'm fine."

And then in a low voice Kyle couldn't hear, she added, "I guess."

Not looking quite convinced of her answer, Kyle pressed her.

"Are you sure? I don't want to be a pain, but if you need…"

She turned to look at him again, her face set in a stony expression.

"I said I'm _fine_, Katarn."

The words were said with such force that Kyle was taken aback.

_I stepped on a land mine that time. Maybe I'd just better leave her alone for a while._

Pushing his chair back, Kyle stood up.

"Ummm… okay, then," he said uncertainly, "I've got to go meet with Tinuviel and Nerwen and then Commander Thanos. So I guess I'll see you later?"

There was no response.

Kyle wanted to say more, but decided not to. After last night, he wanted to do whatever he could to help Jan. Pressing her further wasn't going to do that. With tray in hand, he moved past her. After dropping his off with other used trays, he headed for the exit, stopping briefly to look in Jan's direction.

She hadn't moved. Shrugging, Kyle left the mess hall.

At the table, Jan turned her just enough so her peripheral vision could pick up the entrance/exit to the mess hall. She saw that Kyle had gone. Making a fist with her right hand, she slammed it into the palm of her left.

_Blast it! Why did I say that? He was only trying to help and I practically slammed the door in his face! And especially after last night…_

A memory flashed across her mind. Kyle holding her, comforting her, telling her over and over again how sorry he was and how he wished he would have been there to help.

_This is no good. I can't keep doing this. I can't keep hurting my partner. It just isn't fair._

Just then, Jan's chrono alarm went off, reminding her of her meeting with Mon Mothma. Silencing the device, she rose from her chair, took the empty tray to the cleaning belt and left the mess hall. She'd have to deal with Kyle later.

* * *

**New Republic Command Ship **_**Intrepid**_

**Intelligence Briefing Room**

**Thirty Minutes Later**

"So that's what we know," Kyle concluded, "now tell me what you two know."

"Hmmm," said Tinuviel, "a black Super Star Destroyer."

"I've never even heard of such a thing," added Nerwen.

"It sure doesn't fit in with normal Imperial ship design," Kyle said, "but what about a test vehicle? Or maybe a prototype?"

"It's possible," said Nerwen.

"We can definitely look into it," said Tinuviel.

"I appreciate it," said Kyle, "just comm me when you have the information."

"We will," the twins said together.

"There's also something," began Nerwen.

"We need to tell you," finished Tinuviel.

"What's that?" Kyle asked.

"We may have found," began Tinuviel.

"Where 8t88 is," finished Nerwen.

Kyle felt a sudden thrill of anticipation. Ever since the droid had gotten away from him on Nar Shaddaa, the operative had hoped he might have another chance at the automaton, especially given the disc 8t88 had found. There were questions he had for the droid to answer.

"You did?" he said excitedly.

"We _think_ so," said Nerwen,

"We're in the process of verifying if the information we have is accurate," said Tinuviel.

"Where is he?" Kyle asked.

"If our information is right," began Tinuviel.

"He's on Sulon," finished Nerwen.

"What?" Kyle exclaimed, "He's on the very planet I just came from?"

"That's what we're trying to confirm," said Nerwen.

"At best, the information is still uncertain right now," added Tinuviel.

"Where on Sulon?" asked Kyle.

"We don't know," said Tinuviel.

"That's part of what we're trying to find out," added Nerwen.

The anticipatory feeling faded into disappointment.

"We're waiting on a report," began Nerwen.

"From our agent there," finished Tinuviel.

Kyle's eyes widened.

"You have an agent on Sulon?"

"The Rebell… I mean, the New Republic has spies everywhere, Kyle," said Tinuviel with a smile.

"Our information network stretches from here to Coruscant and beyond," boasted Nerwen, also smiling.

"Y'know," Kyle said, "sometimes you two scare me a little."

"Us?" said Nerwen, "why is that, Kyle?"

"Yes," added Tinuviel, "why is that, Kyle?"

Realizing that he had just painted himself into a corner with his own words, the operative thought fast on how to extricate himself.

"Well, it's the way you two have such access to information from all over the galaxy. If you were part of the Empire…"

Tinuviel's and Nerwen's strong glares cut him off.

_Strike 1,_ he thought.

"I'm just really glad you two are on our side," he said quickly.

The glares faded and smiles returned.

"Not bad," said Tinuviel.

"Just squeaked yourself out of that one," added Nerwen.

And then they laughed, which relieved the tension in the room.

"Now," said Nerwen, smiling slyly at Kyle, "there's something _we_ want to find out from _you_."

"Yes," added Tinuviel, "something only you can tell us."

Feeling uncertain, Kyle responded. "What is that?"

"How is Jan?" the twins asked together, concerned looks on their faces.

Kyle hesitated before answering. While he knew that Jan and the twins were friends, he didn't feel like he should go into detail about things. Still, he needed to answer the inquiry.

"She was upset," he confessed, "The whole thing shook her up a little. But I saw her this morning and she said she was fine."

"Is that right?" said Tinuviel, looking worried.

"Did she _look_ all right?" asked Nerwen, also concerned.

"Well," Kyle said, "I didn't get much sleep and I don't think she did either. But other than that, she seemed okay."

The twins looked at each other and then back at him. Their expressions were even more serious-looking.

"Are you keeping an eye on her?" asked Nerwen.

"Making sure she's all right," asked Tinuviel.

"What?" Kyle responded, taken aback by the questions.

The twins said nothing, but continued to stare at him, their faces saying they expected an answer.

Kyle's uncertainty turned to annoyance. Sure, he and Jan were friends, close friends, maybe even more than friends. But with all the perks and benefits of their relationship, there also came with certain rules and boundaries, ones that he wasn't about to cross.

"Well, I'm not stalking her, if that's what you're asking," Kyle said with an edge in his voice, "I'm not exactly the woman's babysitter, you know."

"That's not what we meant," said Tinuviel, still looking strongly at him.

"We want to know if you're taking your role as her partner seriously," said Nerwen, a similar expression on her face.

"Of course I am" Kyle said, a bit more anger in his voice now, "after last night and how torn up she was… I'd… I'd do almost anything for her."

As soon as the words left his mouth, the operative realized he had said too much. His and Jan's relationship was something between them only. Jan had made it abundantly clear at the outset that it was no business of anyone else. His gaze dropped as his face colored a bit in embarrassment.

_Sithspit! Sorry Jan, I screwed up._

But when he looked up, Tinuviel and Nerwen were smiling at him.

"Good," said Nerwen, "that's what we wanted to hear."

"We knew you wouldn't let us down," added Tinuviel.

Kyle opened his mouth to ask a question, but the twins spoke first.

"We'll get to work on seeing what we can find out about that black ship," said Tinuviel.

"And we'll let you know if we hear anything more on 8t88," said Nerwen.

And with that, the co-heads of Intelligence left the room, leaving a perplexed Kyle Katarn in their wake. He sat there for several minutes, going over the last exchange in his head. He felt that he was missing something important. But what it was he couldn't figure out.

As he continued to puzzle over the matter, Jan was having a less than pleasant meeting in another part of the ship.

* * *

**New Republic Command Ship **_**Intrepid**_

**Mon Mothma's Briefing Room**

**Ten minutes after Kyle's meeting began**

Later, the operative realized she should have figured out that this was going to happen. But at the time, she had been caught more or less flatfooted. Arriving at the briefing room, Jan had pressed the call chime and was ushered inside seconds later. Approaching the table where Mon Mothma was already seated, the operative felt a strangeness in the air.

_Something doesn't feel right, _she thought.

Nevertheless, she stopped before the table and, at Mon Mothma's gesture, took a seat. But no words were exchanged between the two as the Rebel leader didn't speak and Jan hesitated to. Time passed and the operative began to grow uncomfortable under the Rebel leader's steady gaze. Finally, she had had all she could take and spoke.

"Is there something the matter, Mon Mothma?"

"An interesting question, Jan," the older woman replied, "I'll give you an answer. But first, is there something you want to tell me?"

The operative searched her mind for something she needed to tell her superior.

"I can't think of anything," she said.

The Rebel leader sighed and rose from her chair. She moved to the near wall, where a piece of artwork had been recently hung. She gazed at it silently for several seconds, and then spoke.

"Jan, do you remember when you first came to work for me?"

"Yes," came the slightly confused response.

"Do you also remember the first discussion we had? How I told you there were certain non-negotiable rules you would need to follow in order to work for me?"

"I remember," Jan said.

"Do you recall that one of them was that there was to always be total truth between us, no matter the situation?"

Jan felt a sharp, cold pain in her chest as she realized what Mon Mothma was driving at. She lowered her gaze to study the table.

"How did you find out?" she asked in a low tone.

"There's very little that happens on this ship that escapes my notice, Jan. Now, do you have something you want to tell me?"

"Want to? No. Have to? I guess."

Mon Mothma walked back to the table and resumed her seat.

"Then tell me what happened last night."

Jan began speaking, telling Mon Mothma of the party, meeting Vinial there and the subsequent encounter between herself and the Twi'lek.

"Once she left, I hung out with Kyle for a while and then went back to my quarters."

"I see," Mon Mothma replied, "it seems that this situation is more disturbing than I had originally understood it to be."

Jan said nothing.

"I will need you to make a formal statement, Jan. There will also be a hearing to address this matter."

"Mon Mothma," Jan said, "is that really necessary?"

The Rebel leader gave her a strong look. "She attacked a superior officer and then threatened additional harm. By themselves, both items are grounds for disciplinary action as well as formal charges."

"Mon Mothma, I really don't think Vinial meant to…"

"Jan, you just told me she gripped your wrist hard enough to leave marks. Are you defending her now?"

"No," the operative retorted, "it's just that, a hearing and all would make this whole incident public knowledge. I'd just as soon not have that happen."

"Vinial is part of the New Republic military, Jan. And there are very clear and strict rules when it comes to situations like this."

"Please, Mon Mothma," Jan said imploringly, "I've already dealt with Vinial and I don't think she'll try anything again. A formal hearing is going to start the rumor mill all over the ship. People will begin asking questions I'd rather not answer."

"I fail to understand why you are so adamant about this, Jan," Mon Mothma said gravely.

"Then maybe this will shed some light on things," the operative said, telling the Rebel leader of her initial encounters with the Twi'lek, how Vinial's attitude had taken a 180-degree change.

"She thought you had something against her?" Mon Mothma asked.

Jan nodded. "She thought I was like the human slavers she'd encountered in the past."

"But she then understood you weren't like that."

"Exactly," Jan said, "and that's when things began to get squirrely."

She went on to describe how Vinial had grown suddenly close to her. And while it was embarrassing to repeat, the operative told the Rebel leader of the encounter aboard the _New Destiny_ and then how Vinial had acted towards Kyle once Jan and her team had arrived back on the _Intrepid._

Mon Mothma's eyes widened as the realization of what happened dawned on her.

"Are you telling me that Vinial desires a 'relationship' with you?" the Rebel leader asked.

"Something like that," Jan admitted, "I think it's more like a crush of sorts. She sees me as someone like her and figures we're meant to be together."

"And your own feelings?" Mon Mothma asked, her expression showing her discomfort with the question.

"Oh please!" Jan exclaimed, a shudder passing through her body "I am so not interested."

"And Vinial knows this?"

"I made it as clear as I could," Jan said.

"I see," Mon Mothma said, "this definitely puts a different light on things. Still, I cannot condone her actions or her behavior."

"Neither can I," Jan said, "but Mon Mothma, please. I feel strongly that I can deal with Vinial."

The Rebel leader sat back in her chair, contemplating the request. A minute passed, two.

"I am very uncomfortable with this, Jan," Mon Mothma said as she sat forward, "despite your assurances, Vinial's behavior deeply concerns me. I would prefer to issue formal charges and have her confined to the brig."

Jan felt her heart sink.

"However, I will agree to your proposal for now. I believe in giving people the benefit of the doubt."

"Thank y…"

The Rebel leader raised a finger.

"But… if there is another 'incident', I shall not hesitate to formally charge her. Do you understand?"

Mon Mothma's counter-proposal wasn't exactly what Jan wanted. But given the circumstances, she didn't have much of a choice.

"I understand," she replied.

"Good," Mon Mothma said, a look of relief passing over her face, "and now on to other matters or more specifically, your new assignment."

Jan sat forward a bit, listening intently.

"Since the Nar Shaddaa mission, Intelligence has been looking into the activities of this droid, 8t88."

"The one Kyle went to meet," Jan said.

"The same," Mon Mothma replied, "we've been able to confirm that the droid _did_ recently have dealings with a rumored Dark Jedi known as Jerec."

"A Dark Jedi?"

"The enemies of the Jedi back in the days of the Old Republic. They were practitioners of the Dark Side of the Force."

"But I thought the Jedi were all extinct," Jan said.

"When Palpatine took over and issued Order 66, thousands of Jedi were killed by the very clone troopers they served with. But, even after the destruction of the Jedi temple, there were many, many stories and rumors of Jedi surviving."

_Like the one Kyle told me about._

"Most recently, when the first Death Star was destroyed, I learned that Obi-Wan Kenobi had indeed survived. And since the destruction of the second Death Star, Luke Skywalker has told me that there are other Jedi still alive today."

"You believe him?"

"If you'd asked me that 10 years ago, I would have said no. But now, I feel strongly that he is correct about Jedi still existing in the galaxy."

"And if they _are,_" Jan surmised, "then it's possible the Dark Jedi are still out there too."

"Precisely," Mon Mothma said.

"So how does that affect us?" Jan asked.

"If this Jerec truly is a Dark Jedi, he represents a grave threat, Jan. It would be as bad as if Darth Vader was still alive."

A chill passed through the operative. She, like everyone else in the New Republic, knew about Vader and the death and destruction he had wrought as the Dark Lord of the Sith.

"Therefore, I plan on assigning you and Kyle to find 8t88 and find out exactly what he knows. I would like you to serve as Kyle's mission officer as you did before."

"Overall command?"

The corner of Mon Mothma's mouth lifted.

"I'm sure the two of you can work that out. Now, depending on what information Kyle is able to learn from Intelligence and Tactical, I will schedule a mission meeting for three days from today. At that time, we'll devise the next part of our strategy. Questions?"

Jan thought for a moment, and then shook her head. "Nothing at the moment."

"Good," Mon Mothma said, indicating the meeting was concluded.

But as the operative began to rise from her chair, the Rebel leader spoke again.

"Jan?"

"Yes?"

"While I have faith in your ability to deal with Vinial, I will have a security team standing by should you need assistance."

Jan smiled, appreciating the gesture.

"Thank you, Mon Mothma. I'll keep it in mind."

"Very good," the Rebel leader, "dismissed."

* * *

**New Republic Command Ship **_**Intrepid**_

**Sickbay**

**An Hour Later**

After leaving the Intelligence Briefing Room, Kyle had received a message from Chief Brolly asking him to come by the weapons lab as soon as he was available. The operative replied that he'd be by after meeting with Commander Thonas in Tactical. But for right now, he was due in Sickbay. It was finally the momentous day he had been waiting for.

Sitting on the examination table, he watched as Berth ran a battery of tests on Kyle's leg. The doctor's low muttering to himself coupled with his own growing impatience finally drove the operative to speak.

"Well? How is it?"

"Just a minute," Berth said, looking up briefly, "I'm almost done."

The minute seemed to take an eternity before the doctor gave a satisfied grunt and deactivated the testing equipment. When he looked at Kyle, the older man nearly laughed at the pained expression on the younger man's face.

"You look like you're about to burst."

The comment caused Kyle to relax himself a little, but his eyes still bored into the doctor's.

"Well," Berth said, "I've got good news and bad news."

"What's the good news?" Kyle asked.

"The good news is your calf is completely healed. I can take 'that' back now."

Reaching out, the doctor accepted the cane from Kyle.

"And the bad news?"

"Well, now that you're fit for duty, I imagine you'll be going out on another mission and returning here with a new wound."

"How's that bad news?" Kyle asked, confused.

"It's bad news for me," Berth said, "I've been enjoying the peace and quiet around here."

"Why you…" Kyle said, swinging a fist on the older man.

Berth ducked under it, already beginning to laugh. Kyle glared at him for several seconds, and then joined in.

When the last chuckled had faded, the doctor smiled at his patient.

"Go ahead and give it a try."

Moving carefully, Kyle slid off the exam table and onto the floor, placing his right foot down first. Gingerly, he placed his left foot on the ground.

"Put some weight on it," the doctor advised.

Kyle did so, a smile coming to his face as he found the leg was supporting him perfectly, no weakness, no give. It felt great.

"Try walking."

The operative took a few steps, then turned and came back.

"How is it?"

"It hurts a little," Kyle said, "and there's some stiffness."

"I expected that. It's nothing to worry about. But in all seriousness, Kyle, you want to be careful in the short term. Even with the leg healed, there is _some_ muscle atrophy. The stiffness should go away after a few days."

"Is it okay to start working out with it?"

Berth nodded. "I'd be okay with that."

"All right then," Kyle said, turning towards the door.

"And just where do you think you're going?" the doctor asked.

"I've got two more meetings to go to. And after that, the gym."

He was about halfway through the Sickbay doors when Berth called after him.

"Just don't overdo it this time!"

Kyle paused in mid-step, looking back over his shoulder at the doctor.

_He knew. Somehow he knew. Or he figured it out._

The realization made him appreciate Berth both as a doctor and as a man all the more.

"I won't!" he called over his shoulder and then proceeded down the corridor. As he walked, Kyle noticed how strange it felt to not be using the cane. But despite the stiffness and soreness, it felt good to be able to walk normally again.

He continued down the corridor, heading for the area near Sickbay where the repulsor scooters were stored. Coming around a turn, he spotted the entrance to the storage area. As he got closer, he noticed a figure standing near the door. More steps brought the form into focus.

It was Vinial.

Worry and concern replaced the buoyantly happy feeling inside him. He hadn't expected to see the Twi'lek so soon, especially given the events of last night. He briefly considered turning round and heading a different direction, but dismissed the thought as cowardly.

Besides, what did he have to fear from Vinial? She was the one with the problem, and it concerned Jan, not him.

_Besides, it's not like she's going to start anything. _

As he drew closer, Kyle raised a hand in greeting, calling out, "Hi Vinial. How's your day going?"

The Twi'lek's face rose from looking at the floor to face Kyle. Her expression was neutral, neither friendly nor hostile. She said nothing in response to the greeting.

_Well, she's as anti-social as ever. Well, I'm not gonna worry. Just gotta get me a scooter and be on my way._

But when Kyle was about a half dozen steps away from the entrance to the storage room, Vinial pushed off the wall she was leaning against and came towards him. Kyle stopped walking, feeling even more concerned now. He decided to wait and see what the Twi'lek was going to do.

At first, it seemed the red-skinned alien was simply going to pass by him, but with a sudden movement, she was standing in front of him. Before Kyle's mind could fully comprehend what was happening, Vinial's right hand snaked out and struck him soundly across the side of his face. Head rocking to the side with the force of the impact, Kyle sucked in a breath as the Twi'lek's sharpened nails dug two shallow furrows in his cheek.

The pain hit all at once and with a muted cry, Kyle backed up a step, stumbled a little, and then found himself against the wall, cupping his bleeding cheek with one hand. His eyes searched for and found Vinial standing there looking at him. He glared at her angrily.

"Blast you!" he growled, "That hurt! What is your prob..?"

His voice trailed off as a smile came to the red-skinned alien's face. Suddenly, she was in front of him again, her hands grabbing double fistfuls of Kyle's shirt, her face inches away from his.

"It's your fault," she said, "all of it. It's because of you that she's acting like this."

"What are you talking about?" he retorted.

"You're just like he was. You don't care about her. You don't care about anyone. I won't let you do it again."

"Do what? Look, I…"

With a shove against Kyle's chest, Vinial let go and took off at a run down the corridor, leaving the stunned and wounded man leaning against the wall, blood seeping between his fingers, mind awhirl, trying to figure out what had just happened. In time, one thought floated to the top.

_Guess I'm going back to Sickbay.

* * *

_

**New Republic Command Ship **_**Intrepid**_

**Weapons Lab**

As he passed through the entryway, Kyle found himself greeted by Atarn Daman.

"Hey there, Kyle. Good to see… whoa! What happened to _you_?"

The weapons tech pointed, indicating the square bandage taped to one side of the operative's face.

"Huh?" Kyle said, "oh this. Cut myself shaving."

"But I thought you quit shaving."

The operative dismissed the comment with a wave.

"It's nothing. I'm fine. More importantly, Chief Brolly said he wanted to see me."

Daman stared at the operative a moment longer, as if contemplating whether or not to pursue the matter further. Ultimately, he decided not to.

"Yeah, he does. We've got something to show you." Turning slightly, the weapons tech called loudly. "Hey boss! Kyle's here!"

Both men heard the sound of footsteps as the head of weapons testing, Brolly, appeared. He raised a hand in greeting.

"Ah, Kyle, good. Appreciate you… what happened?"

"It's nothing," the operative replied, "I'm fine."

Brolly seemed to consider this, and then shrugged.

"Your message said you had a new 'toy' for me."

The head weapons tech smiled. "Indeed, I do. Follow me."

Kyle followed the man towards a clear enclosure that Brolly and his assistants used for weapons testing. Inside was a scarred and battered table that most would have said was ready for the junk pile. It served as the holding area and test bed for the weapons and as such, had endured it share of ricochets, misfires and the like. As the two men stepped into the enclosure, Kyle noticed a familiar object sitting on the table.

"Hey, I remember that thing."

The weapons chief frowned at the casual description.

"That 'thing' is a laser crossbow originally created by the Wookiees on planet Kashykk."

"Oh-kay," Kyle said.

Shaking his head at the inability of the operative to understand the importance of what he was saying, Brolly moved on.

"Normally, these weapons work like any other crossbow, the purpose of which is to fire projectiles to wound or kill the enemy. The Wookiees took the additional step of creating ones which can fire energy blasts. However, because of the size of the weapon and the strength needed just to cock it, use of the crossbow was limited pretty much to Kashykk."

Brolly paused. "Am I going too fast for you?"

"Not at all," Kyle said, "your description so far has been absolutely… fascinating."

Raising an eyebrow, Brolly continued. "This one has been extensively modified as compared to a normal bowcaster. The frame uses a strong, but lightweight construction suitable for humans to handle and carry. I've also noticed the firing chamber has been altered to allow two different firing modes."

_Now_ Kyle was intrigued. "I noticed before that it had two triggers."

Brolly nodded. "Take a look."

Hefting the weapon, the weapons chief aimed towards a targeting dummy at the far end of the room. Settling the stock of the bowcaster against his shoulder, Brolly aimed it and then reached for the primary trigger.

The weapon didn't fire at first, but a sound like something pulsating began to sound in the room, growing louder and faster by the second. As Kyle watched, Brolly released the trigger. The weapon bucked strongly as a dart of green-white energy issued from the muzzle. Then, to the operative's surprise, the dart seemed to expand until they were five of them.

Three of the shots struck the dummy, gouging ugly rents in it, while the two bolts to the outside struck the shielding built into the far wall.

"Wow," Kyle said.

"This is the secondary mode," Brolly said, pulling the trigger situated just behind the primary one. The weapon bucked again, but with less force as a single green dart issued from it, slicing into the targeting dummy.

The operative's eyes grew wide at damage the shots did. "It sure makes a mess of the target, doesn't it?"

Brolly nodded again, smiling at the performance of the bowcaster. "The spread and impact of the shots in primary firing mode is controlled by the amount of time the trigger is held down. But I'll warn you right now, it's got a mean kick at the higher levels, so be aware. Secondary mode isn't as harsh, but no less destructive."

"Can I try it?"

"Sure," the weapons chief said, handing the weapon over.

Kyle noticed immediately how light the weapon felt, given its size. It wasn't much heavier than his blaster. At the same time, he found it a bit difficult to balance.

"The polarizers at the end of the barrel make it a bit difficult to handle at first."

The weapons chief helped Kyle adjust his grip a little.

"How's that?"

"Better," the operative replied.

Settling the stock into his shoulder as Brolly had done, Kyle sighted down the barrel, centering on the targeting dummy. Reaching forward, he found and pulled the primary trigger. The pulsating sound came again, rising in volume and speed until it became nearly a solid whine.

"Um, you might want to let go of the trigger now," Brolly said.

"Oh, right," said Kyle, "kinda feels weird to do that. But here goes."

The operative released the trigger and then felt a massive force slam into his shoulder as the weapon bucked mightily. Unprepared for the sudden force, Kyle's shot went off target, although three of the five bolts managed to strike the dummy, effectively eviscerating it. But the other two missed, striking a corner of the far wall and ricocheting.

"Duck!" Brolly yelled.

Dropping to the floor, Kyle heard the sound as the energy darts streaked overhead, expending themselves against the shielding of the near wall. Having seen the commotion, Mach Farcon and Atarn Daman came running over.

"Boss!" one of the men shouted, "are you guys okay?"

Rising from where he was crouched on the floor, Brolly shot the man a look.

"How many times have I told you not to call me that?"

"Yeah, dummy," said Atarn Daman," you're not supposed to call him that."

"You call him boss too," retorted Mach Farcon.

"Oh yeah," said Daman, "You're right."

"And he _is_ our boss after all."

Daman nodded, and then spoke to Brolly.

"So are you two okay?"

"_I'm_ fine," said the weapons chief, now throwing a look at Kyle, "no thanks to some people."

"Sorry," the operative said, a sheepish grin on his face while he rubbed his pained shoulder, "you were right about that thing having a kick."

"That's why I told you to be careful," Brolly said, sighing, "in any case, we're working on a dampening system to try and minimize the recoil."

"Do you think you can have it working by the time I head out on my next mission?" Kyle asked.

Brolly paused before answering the question. "Possibly."

"Then I'll leave it in your capable hands, Chief," Kyle said, heading for the door.

"Where're you going?" asked Mach Farcon.

"Where else?" Kyle said, "Sickbay. I feel like that thing busted my shoulder."

Brolly shook his head as the operative left. "I warned him it had a kick. But does he listen? No."

* * *

**New Republic Command Ship **_**Intrepid**_

**Corridor outside Sickbay**

**Thirty Minutes later**

Leaving Sickbay for the third time that day, Kyle felt almost like a student who'd been called to the principal's office. Doctor Berth had been clearly upset that the operative had managed to get himself hurt twice in one day without even leaving the ship.

"I almost feel like I should have you confined to quarters," Berth had said, "maybe then you'd stay out of trouble."

"It wasn't my fault!" Kyle retorted.

"Uh-huh," the doctor said, clearly not believing the claim.

Retrieving a repulsor scooter from the storage area, Kyle decided to head for his quarters for the time being. He had no more meetings for the day as Commander Thonas had cancelled on him, saying that he was too engaged in a system upgrade to meet with Kyle. He had promised to reschedule the meeting as soon as possible.

And given all that had happened, the operative determined that a short rest before dinner would do him some good. He was almost there when a familiar face appeared, coming from the opposite direction.

It was Jan.

On her way from performing a systems check on the _Crow_, Jan had been contemplating trying to contact Kyle. She knew was likely still in one of his meetings, but hoped she might get him anyway. Still, after this morning, she didn't want to bother him. She was still debating with herself when she caught sight of him coming the other way.

_Well, this is a surprise. I didn't expect to see him here._

It also occurred to the operative that this was a perfect opportunity to apologize for lashing out at him this morning. But then, she saw his face.

Jan's hand was raised in greeting and she was smiling at him until the moment her eyes got a good look at his face. Her expression went from happy to concerned within a few seconds. Drawing up beside his scooter, she gave him a strong look as the two of them dismounted and faced each other.

"What did you do _now_, Katarn?"

"Look," he began, indicating the bandage on his face, "this really wasn't my fault and what happened in the weapons lab…"

Jan held up a hand to stop him. "Whoa, whoa, whoa. Slow down, Kyle. I can't understand what you're saying. Take a deep breath and try again."

Kyle did so, his mind going over the words he wanted to say. He wondered if he should tell Jan about his encounter with Vinial.

_Maybe I shouldn't tell her. It's not like there's anything she can do about the situation. _

But even as he considered not telling her, Kyle knew he couldn't. Trust was one of the keys to his relationship with Jan. If he hid this from her now and she found out later, it'd potentially cause a rift between them. And that was the last thing he wanted.

"Actually," he said, "there's a lot to tell you. But I'd prefer to do in private. My quarters, after dinner?"

Jan gave him a somewhat doubtful look.

"You can't tell me now?"

Kyle shook his head.

"Look, Katarn," she began, "I…"

"Please?"

Jan examined his face, using her powers of observation to see the intent behind the words.

"All right," she said, "after dinner then. But tell me at least one thing."

"Yeah?"

"Are you okay?"

Kyle smiled widely. "Now that I've seen you, I feel much better."

Color rose in Jan's cheeks and she glanced around quickly before reaching a hand out to him, caressing the cheek that wasn't bandaged.

"Sweet talker," she muttered.

"Huh?"

"Never mind," Jan said, stepping forward and kissing him. It only lasted a few seconds, but to Kyle it was a blissful eternity.

Disengaging, Jan stepped back and remounted her scooter.

"Until dinner then," she said and headed off.

Kyle watched her go, a sigh escaping his lips.

_I must be the luckiest guy in the whole galaxy._


	18. Chapter 18: New Friends

**Kyle Katarn: The Rise & Fall **

**Book 2: Birth of a Jedi **

**Chapter 18: New Friends

* * *

**

A/N: Ah, crud! Say it ain't so! I forgot to put up a chapter last week! Sorry 'bout that everyone. Had a few things goin' on and it completely slipped my mind. So here's chapter 18 a week late, but here. No more 2 years absences! Also, in order to partly make up, this chapter's a bit longer than previous ones, so you'll have a bit more to read. Hope you like. And with that, let's get to the shout outs!

Nerwen Aldarion: Yeah, I've seen other authors do stunts like that. It can sometimes be so frustrating! Yeah, ol' J&K are still working out their relationship! I have a lot of fun involving you and other reviewer/characters in the story. It's sometime a challenge keeping it all straight! Definitely, Mon Mothma is a hands on leader in every sense of the word. Granted, in the SW books, she more hands off later on, but I figure for now, she's involved deeply with her operatives. Yeah, Vinial is quickly becoming the Galder of Book 2. And then there's the trifecta Sickbay visits, and all without going on a mission! I know, fluffy scenes are a lot of fun to write, especially with these two! Congrats on the exam! I knew you could do it!

Tinuviel Undomiel: Don't worry 'bout it. I sometimes don't see what's right in front of my face. No worries. The mission is coming soon, probably beginning in Chapter 19. As for Jan learning of Jedi Kyle, not yet, but eventually. Yeah, like I said to your sister, I envision Mon Mothma as a real hands on leader. And yeah, Vinial is becoming the new Galder, don'cha think? For real? Jeez, I woulda freaked! I haven't had too many troubles with them. Actually, when I was George Mason, they'd sometimes come right up to you, they were so used to people. Squirrel Girl, huh? Well, how 'bout this. When I was younger, I was shorter than my brother and sister, so I got the nickname Elfin. Nice, huh?

Tig94: Yeah, I realized that at the time I'm in, the Rebellion is now the New Republic. Had to fix that.

Manus Dei: Yeah, I'm imagining Jan lay the smack down on Vinial somethin' fierce! Yeah, the twins keep adding the pressure. Will it make a difference? We'll have to see.

Mach Farcon: No worries, man! I'll take 'em any time! You've been sick? That's not good. Hope it wasn't that swine flu. Yeah, a Jedi battle is coming, probably Chap 20 or so. I'm replaying the game to confirm the when and where. And yeah, Vinial is quickly becoming a new bad guy. Be interesting to see what happens with her next.

A/N: Okay, then! Always glad to hear from you all. I appreciate the compliments, comment and advice. Please keep sending 'em! And now, on to the story!

* * *

**New Republic Command Ship **_**Intrepid**_

**Mess Hall**

Fortunately for Kyle, the evening meal occurred without further mishap. Looking at Jan, sitting across the table from him, he expected to seen a look of curiosity on her face. But instead her expression was placid, except for the occasional smile she flashed at him when their eyes met.

_I know I asked her to wait and all, but I figured by now she'd be asking questions._

Jan, however, seemed more focused on her meal, causing Kyle to mentally shake his head. He was going to have to learn to not underestimate her. In the end, she actually took a bit longer to finish than he did, leaving the operative with exactly what he didn't want right then, time to think over what he was going to say and how. He began to wonder if he just shouldn't have told Jan earlier rather than waiting until now.

"Kyle?"

Caught up in his reverie, the operative realized his tablemate was calling him.

"Sorry," he said, "wool gathering."

Jan raised an eyebrow at him, and then spoke."I'm finished. Are you ready?"

Kyle nodded.

"Then let's get going."

Pushing back from the table, Jan rose to her feet, taking her tray with her. Kyle followed and the pair dumped the items on the cleaning belt. They proceeded out of the mess hall and into the corridor outside. They were perhaps a dozen steps down when Jan stopped walking.

"Kyle?"

"Yes?"

"Is there a _reason_ you're walking behind me?"

Still going over what he was going to tell his partner, the operative suddenly realized his mental conversation had resulted in him falling behind.

When Kyle didn't answer right away, Jan turned to look at him, hand to her hip.

"Vrelt got your tongue, Katarn? Or perhaps you prefer the view from 'behind'?"

Brain finally shifting out of first gear, Kyle responded.

"No!" he said strongly, "I wasn't looking at your… I mean I would never stare at…"

Jan smiled as Kyle's face turned scarlet.

"Because if there's something you want to see…"

Somehow, the shade of red on Kyle's face increased a notch.

"That's not funny!" he exclaimed angrily.

_Oops, _Jan thought, realizing she had pushed a bit too far. Turning round, she came back towards Kyle. He was looking down at the floor, but his body language told Jan all she needed to know.

"Kyle?" she said softly.

"What?" he said, his voice low, the tone hurt and angry.

Taking a quick look around and finding no one, Jan reached out and took Kyle's left hand in her right.

"I'm sorry. I know you didn't do anything bad. Truce, okay?"

Slowly, his face rose to meet hers, the cheeks still red.

"Okay," he said tonelessly.

After taking another look around, Jan let go of his hand, grasped his chin firmly with the same hand, raised his face and kissed him. She could feel the surprise in Kyle and smiled even as she kissed him.

Pulling back, she looked at him.

"Okay?" she asked again.

"I dunno," he said, voice more energetic, "I think there needs to be a bit more negotiation."

The brow rose again. "Don't push your luck, Katarn. Now, c'mon, I'm not staying up late again."

The pair headed for the repulsor scooter depot, this time walking next to each other.

* * *

**New Republic Command Ship **_**Intrepid**_

**Quarters of Kyle Katarn**

**Ten Minutes Later**

Entering the room and greeting Wee Gee from where the droid was connected to a recharging station, Jan moved to the desk opposite Kyle's bed and sat down.

"So what happened?" she asked.

Moving to his bunk, Kyle sat down with a sigh of contentment before beginning his tale.

"Everything started off pretty well," he said, "I had my meeting with Tinuviel and Nerwen and we discussed that black Super Star Destroyer you encountered on your mission. After that, to Sickbay where Doctor Berth pronounced me fit for duty."

"I noticed you didn't have the cane anymore," Jan said.

"Truth be told," he replied, "I almost miss it, kinda got used to the thing. Doc also said I could begin working…"

"I'll get you one for your next birthday," Jan said, "now, tell me what happened to you."

Realizing he was digressing, Kyle got to the point of the conversation.

"It was right after I left Sickbay. I was heading for the repulsor scooter storage room when I bumped into Vinial."

"'Bumped into?'" Jan asked.

"I swear I didn't do anything to her," Kyle said emphatically, "all I do was wave and say hi."

"That's all?" Jan pressed, and then held up a hand as Kyle began to protest, "No, forget I asked that. What happened next?"

The operative stared at her for a long moment before continuing. "As I got closer, she pushes off the wall and it looks like she's going to just walk past me. The next thing I knew, she's in front of me and backhands me right across the chops."

"She hit you?"

"More like slapped me. But with those nails of hers…" Reaching up to his cheek, Kyle peeled away the bandage there, revealing the two marks.

Jan was on her feet a second later, standing in front of him, bending slightly and reaching down towards the spot. She touched it gingerly, and then pulled away as Kyle winced.

"I'm sorry," she said quickly.

"It's okay," he said, managing to smile up at her, "it's just really sensitive."

"She just slapped you?" Jan asked; a look of mixed surprise and disbelief on her face, "no warning? Nothing said beforehand?"

"Not at first," Kyle replied, "but when I asked her why, she said some weird stuff."

"Like what?" Jan asked; worry beginning to creep up her spine.

"Something about things were _my_ fault; that you were acting like you were because of me. Then, she said I didn't care about you or anyone else and that she wasn't going to let me do it again."

"Do what?"

"Search me," Kyle said, "she took off after that."

"You didn't go after her?"

"No," Kyle said, a bit of disbelief in his tone, "I was kinda of busy trying to make the bleeding stop."

Jan gasped, a hand going to her mouth. "I'm sorry," she said a moment later.

"That's all right," he said, "actually, Vinial clocking me wasn't the worst of it. Afterwards, I went to…"

With a muffled "whump" sound, Jan fell to her knees.

"Hey, what's…?"

Leaning forward, Jan grabbed Kyle's left hand with both of hers. Caught by surprise at the sudden action, Kyle remained relatively motionless.

"I'm sorry," Jan said, looking up into his face, "It's my fault."

"Huh?"

"It's my fault, Kyle. I'm sorry."

"Jan? What's going on? What's happened?"

For a moment, she seemed to be about to tell him. But then the vulnerable look on her face was replaced with one of resolution and strength. In a single motion, she let go of him and rose to her feet. It was then Kyle noticed both her hands were tightly clenched.

_She's mad. But at what?_

"Jan?"

She looked down at him and her expression softened again. With that same swiftness, her face was in front of his, her lips against his. Jan's arms went around him again and for thirty spectacular seconds, Kyle was lost in bliss.

Lips parting with an audible pop, Jan straightened up and headed for the door.

"Jan?" he called to her.

"What?" she said, not turning to look at him.

"Please tell me what's wrong."

Seconds passed.

Kyle opened his mouth to speak again when Jan answered him.

"Nothin' I can't fix. I just… I… I'm sorry, Kyle."

And with that, she was gone, the door sliding closed.

Ten seconds later, Wee Gee issued a string of beeps.

"I dunno, Weeg. When I told her about what Vinial did to me, it seemed to set her off. The way she acted… it wasn't normal."

The droid gave a low boop sound in reaction, then asked a new question.

"How did it feel?" Kyle echoed, turning an angry glare on the droid, "you mean you were _watching _the whole time?"

The droid gave a whistle honk followed by another string of beeps.

"Just curious, eh?"

Kyle stood up and advanced on the droid. It responded by floating back until it was up against the wall.

"You're lucky I don't have my tools with me," Kyle said, "otherwise, I'd be doin' some dismantlin' right now."

The droid issued an apologetic beep.

"Don't let it happen again, Kyle said, turning away and throwing his hands up in frustration. "Man, first I get clocked by a psycho Twi'lek, then my partner starts acting like a nut and now I learn my supposed droid friend is actually an opportunistic voyeur. Can this day get any worse?"

All but throwing himself on his bed, Kyle reached for a bedside control to turn off the lights. Wee Gee, in the meantime, floated back to his recharging station.

* * *

**Republic Command Ship **_**Intrepid**_

**The Next Day**

Kyle rose as usual, getting a quick shower before dressing and heading off for breakfast. He had nothing on his calendar today, but given the pace at which things could change, he wanted to be ready. Exiting the room, he nearly ran smack dab in someone on the other side.

"Whoa!" the operative exclaimed.

"Watch it there," said the other person.

Recovering from the near collision, Kyle looked to see Restall standing in front of him.

"Sorry 'bout that. I didn't see you there."

Restall chuckled.

"What?"

"I've been told many things in my life," the large man said, "but never has anyone said that they didn't see me."

Kyle laughed at the joke. "I see what you mean. So what are you doing this morning?"

The golden-skinned man shrugged. "Nothing much. How 'bout you?"

"Just heading off to breakfast."

Restall nodded. "Sounds good. Mind some company?"

"No," Kyle said, a hint of hesitation in his tone, "I suppose not."

"I'm not intruding…?"

"No," the operative said, "not at all. Let's go."

Together, the pair headed down the corridor.

_Well done, _Kyle thought, looking at the other for a moment. The big man had played him perfectly just now.

A short scooter ride brought the men to the mess hall. Kyle marveled at the amount of food on the other man's tray. But given his size…

_He probably needs a lot of fuel to move that bulk around._

Table conversation was rather animated, as both men started asking questions of the other, topics ranging from background to home planet and other benign topics. As different as the two were, the impact of the Empire on both their lives created an air of communality among them.

_I see now why Jan likes this guy,_ Kyle thought.

Likewise, Restall found himself impressed with the operative. His own life under Empire rule had been harsh, but when he compared it to what Kyle had endured…

_I'm amazed he can still smile after all he's been through. Nerwen and Tinuviel were right about him._

Just then, Restall's chrono alarm went off.

"Well," the big man said, "this has been fun, but I've got a meeting in about ten minutes. But I'd like to catch up with you later."

"Me too," Kyle said, smiling.

Agreeing that they'd set time aside later on, Restall turned and left the room. But no sooner had he stepped into the corridor that the golden-skinned man pulled his communicator from his belt.

"I'm heading to my meeting. Are you ready?"

"I'll be there in five," came the reply.

Nodding to himself, the big man headed off, the concern he felt somewhat unabated.

Once he left the mess hall himself, Kyle headed for the gymnasium and spent the next two hours working out. His recently repair leg was stiff and weak, but he did his best to work the muscle, encouraging it to gain strength.

That done, he showered again and headed for his quarters. With no comm calls, he decided now would be a good time for a meditation session with Rahn. Entering his quarters, he found Wee Gee was gone.

_Probably off exploring the ship, _Kyle surmised.

Sitting Indian style atop his bed, the operative closed his eyes and began to concentrate. It took only a few minutes before the kaleidoscope of colors appeared in front of him.

**I sense you are troubled, Kyle.**

_Troubled? Yeah. I guess you could say I am. Troubled about a lot of things._

**Tell me.**

_I'd rather concentrate on my Force skills._

**One can not readily use the Force when one's mind is troubled as yours is, Kyle. For now, let us talk. **

_I'd really rather…_

**Kyle, please do as I say.**

The operative sighed.

_All right, but there's not much either of us can really do about it._

Kyle told Rahn of the things that were bothering him. And strangely, as he talked, he began to feel a bit better.

**You see? A burden shared is a burden lessened. Such is the way among all people**.

_Even Jedi?_

He heard Rahn chuckle. **Even Jedi.**

_So what do I do?_

**The solution is not as simple as deciding what to do, Kyle. The reason behind this Twi'lek attacking you stems from more than just you and Jan.**

_What do you mean?_

**You know the history of the Twi'lek race, the degradations they have endured. This Vinial has likely been a victim like so many others of her race. **

_But why did she get along with Jan and not me?_

**I am not sure of why. But I do sense that Vinial's rage is deep seated. I feel that she has or had endured some great turmoil in her past. **

_She was about to be sold when she was freed._

**Exactly, and you said Jan told you the slaver was human. I suspect Vinial is somehow projecting the persona of this slaver onto you. **

_Why?_

**That reason is known only to Vinial. But look at the evidence. Her initial reaction to Jan, and then the sudden change in attitude. Couple this with happened the other evening and I think you may begin to see part of the picture.**

_Wait a minute! Are you telling me Vinial has _feelings_ for Jan? Romantic feelings?_

**I think it a strong possibility. **

_And she sees me as what… a rival?_

**Given her attack on you, I would say more than a rival. It seems she sees you as a threat. **

_A threat? To her and Jan?_

**Precisely.**

_That's nuts! She's nuts! And besides, I know for a fact that Jan's not interested._

**For a fact?**

_You bet! Jan's my… I mean she and I… well, we're…_

**Kyle, you need not hide your feelings from me. I have sensed your affection for Jan for some time now. **

_Oh._

**What puzzles me is that, given how you feel about her, why you have still not told her of your Jedi powers?**

_I don't know what to… I want to say the right…_

The operative sighed again.

_I'm afraid._

**Afraid? Of Jan?**

_Yes, of her, of her reaction, of what she'll think or say when I tell her. She'll probably think I'm nuts and have me locked up._

**Do you truly believe that?**

_No, but… I just don't know how I can tell her._

**The longer you wait, the worse it will be when you **_**do**_** tell her.**

_I know. I just…_

**Only you can decide when the proper time is to tell her, Kyle. But one day, you must tell her. **

_You're right. It's…_

**It is a decision for another time. As to the issue with Restall, perhaps it would be best to ask him directly.**

_You think so?_

**I sense an irreproachable spirit in him. And from what you have told me of him, I do not believe I am alone in this.**

_No, you're not. For someone I barely know, I genuinely like the guy. He seems like a real decent sort. _

**Then test him to see if we both are right. **

Kyle smiled to himself. _All right, I will. _

**Now, there is a lesson to be learned today.**

_Are you sure?_

**You should know the answer to that, Kyle. Can you not sense the calmness in your spirit?**

Kyle examined himself and then, _you're right. I do feel better._

**As I said. And now, my friend, the time has come for you to take the next step in growing your powers. And at the same time, you will gain physical benefit as well.**

_What is it? _Kyle thought anxiously. _What are you going to teach me?_

**Patience, **the old Jedi counseled, **listen to my words. **

And so Kyle did.

The remainder of the day passed in relative peace for the operative and that night, he slept dreamlessly.

* * *

**New Republic Command Ship **_**Intrepid**_

**Quarters of Kyle Katarn**

**The Next Day**

Rising much as he the day before, Kyle had nearly finished dressing when the call chime to his door sounded.

Smiling, he called out. "Come in, Restall."

The door slid aside and the big man stepped inside, his expression conveying surprise.

"How did you know it was me?"

"I just did," Kyle replied, still facing away from the big man. When the operative turned around, he fixed the other with a strong stare.

"And now, is there something you'd like to tell me?"

"Huh?"

"Specifically why you've showed up here at nearly the same time in two days?"

To his credit, the security officer did not flinch.

"You're awfully suspicious, aren't you? I just came by to talk with you again."

"Try again," Kyle said.

"It's the truth," Restall answered back.

"Uh-huh," the operative replied disbelievingly.

"Look, I don't like being accused…"

"Restall, who sent you here?"

When the security officer didn't answer, Kyle continued, mentally praying his gamble would pay off. Otherwise, he was going to have to some fast apologizing.

"Was it Jan?"

There was a brief change in the security officer's expression, enough to let Kyle know he had hit his mark.

"Look, I don't want to put you on the spot or have you break a confidence, Restall. So, let me try guessing why Jan sent you here and you let me know if get close."

When the security officer didn't reply, Kyle continued.

"She's worried about me because of what Vinial did and wants you to make sure the incident doesn't repeat itself."

The big man's mouth dropped open.

"You knew?"

The operative shrugged. "I suspected. But given how Jan reacted the other night when I told her what Vinial did and then you showing up yesterday, it was just a little too convenient."

The big man's shoulders slumped. "Look, Kyle. I didn't mean to deceive you. When Jan came to me and Plana, she was…"

Kyle groaned. "She got Plana involved too?"

Restall nodded.

Kyle shook his head. "I just don't believe her sometimes."

"Are you mad?"

The operative smiled and shook his head again. "Actually, no. I just wish that partner of mine would learn to trust me a little more. I'm perfectly capable of taking care of myself."

Restall smiled. "She said you'd say that."

"So where is Jan right now?"

The big man looked uncomfortable. "She said not to tell you."

"Restall…"

"She's looking for Vinial."

"She what?"

"She's going to find Vinial and try talking to her."

Kyle laughed out loud, shaking his head once again.

"I knew I shouldn't have told her what happened."

"Hey, I prob'ly woulda done the same thing if it'd been me," Restall said.

"I suppose you're right. And on some level, I suppose I should appreciate what Jan is doing. It's just that…"

"What?"

"I dunno. This is like something out of high school. And the last thing I want is my best friend fighting my battles for me."

"Best friend, huh," Restall said.

"Well," Kyle said, "she's more than my friend. But you get the point."

Restall nodded. "So you two are close then?"

Seeing the lure coming, Kyle stepped on it.

"Why do you ask?"

"No reason," Restall said, retreating a bit at Kyle's verbal broadside, "it's just that Plana and I both consider her a friend."

"Which explains why you're doing this."

The big man visibly slumped. "Okay, you win."

Kyle stepped over and reached up to pat the big man on the shoulder.

"It's okay, Restall. You just confirmed what I suspected about you since yesterday."

"What's that," the security officer asked.

"That you're okay," Kyle said with a smile.

Restall grinned back. "So are you."

The operative extended a hand.

"Friends?"

Restall's hand met Kyle's.

"Friends."

"All right then," the operative said, "with that out of the way, how's breakfast sound?"

"Good to me," Restall replied.

And with that, the two men left the room, the barrier between them conquered.

* * *

**Mess Hall**

**Nearly Two Hours Later**

Restall nearly coughed up his drink in mid-sip.

"She really did that?"

"Ask Doctor Berth if you don't believe me," Kyle said, "he can confirm it."

"Jan actually broke your nose?"

"Like a twig," Kyle said with a laugh.

"That must've hurt."

The operative nodded. "Especially when it was healing."

"And what did you do?"

"Not much really. She actually hit me hard enough that I fell back, struck my head on the ground and was knocked out."

"Ouch," the big man said grimacing.

"You're telling me," Kyle replied.

"And you two are _still_ friends, even after that?"

Kyle nodded. "Yep, believe it or not. Truth be told, there were additional circumstances at the time."

"Additional circumstances?"

"Yeah," Kyle said, "I can't really go into specifics, but suffice it to say that it was all a big misunderstanding."

"Wait a minute," Restall said, holding up a hand, "you're telling me Jan broke your nose _and_ knocked you out over a misunderstanding?"

Kyle nodded.

"Remind me to never get her that mad at me," the security officer said.

"Don't worry about it," Kyle said, "Jan only gets mad at her friends."

"Is that right?" Restall said sarcastically, "well, I feel so much better now."

The two shared a laugh. They had spent much of the meal this way, getting to know each other more and sharing stories.

"Oh man," Kyle said, sitting back, "I haven't had this much fun in a while."

"Me either," Restall said.

The operative glanced at his chrono, eyes widening as he read the display.

"Oh wow, we've been here a while. The day's going on us."

Restall check his as well. "You're right."

"Listen, "Kyle said, "I'm gonna head for the gym. But maybe…"

"You mind some company?" Restall asked.

Kyle considered the request. "Sure, I don't mind."

Restall rose to his feet. "Then let's go."

Together, the two dropped off their trays and left the mess hall. Finding a repulsor scooter, they continued to talk on the way.

"What you working on today?" Restall asked.

"Nothing special," Kyle said, "I'm mainly trying to get my calf back into shape." He pointed to the limb. "I got shot there on my last mission and doc put me in a cast for a while."

"Oh right," Restall said, "that's why you were using the cane."

Kyle nodded. "Problem now is, the muscle has atrophied a bit and I want it in good shape before my next mission."

Restall ran a hand under his chin. "I might have an idea about that, if you don't mind some advice?"

"I'd welcome it," Kyle said.

"Let's see what you're doing," the big man said, "and then we'll see."

"Okay," Kyle said, wondering what the golden-skinned man was planning. Arriving at the gym, the two changed into workout clothes. As they stepped into the weight room, Restall noticed Kyle staring.

"What?"

"Sorry, didn't mean to stare. It's just… the color of your skin… it's so…

"Strange?"

"No," Kyle said quickly.

Restall laughed. "It's okay. You aren't the first to think it, much less say it."

Feeling somewhat relieved, Kyle spoke again. "It's like you've got a permanent tan."

"Comes from years of outside work under twin suns. From what my people's scientists have been able to determine, our genetic structure caused the pigmentation to alter to this color in order to prevent our skin from becoming damaged."

"But it didn't fade when you left your homeworld," Kyle observed.

"That's a mystery we're still trying to solve. One of the doctors here said it might the changes might be hard coded into our DNA, so our skin stays this way no matter what."

It occurred to the operative just then that the two of them were there for a purpose other than talking.

"Man, there I go again," Kyle said, feeling embarrassed, "we came here to work out, not to talk."

"You're right," Restall said, "but hey, I'm just as guilty as you. Let's say we get started."

"Right," Kyle said.

The pair began the workout with 30 minutes of cardiovascular exercise. About halfway through, Kyle found himself marveling at Restall's stamina. He was sweating heavily, his breath coming in quick short bursts. The big man, on the other hand, was also sweating, but far less than Kyle and seemed to be breathing with relative ease.

Finishing up, Kyle went through a series of stretching exercises and was surprised again at the big man's flexibility. As muscular as Restall was, he had no trouble with any of the stretches. Sitting back from stretching his left leg, Kyle was about to rise to his feet when the golden-skinned man spoke.

"You'd better do that stretch one more time. You want to make sure the muscle is good and loose before working it." Nodding, Kyle went through the stretch a second time, and then sat back up.

"Okay," Restall said, "let's go lift."

The big man turned out to be an excellent work out partner. While his strength far exceeded Kyle's, Restall demonstrated greater focus on executing his lifts than in showing off or lording it over the smaller man. Instead, he watch Kyle's every move, offering encouragement and advice at different times. He also proved to be a good coach, pushing the operative to work hard, but not so much as to cause unneeded suffering.

When Kyle began his calf exercises, Restall watched his first set, and then had the operative switch to a new exercise using the squat bar. With Kyle standing with just his toes touching on a low platform about six inches above the floor, Restall had him center the bar across his shoulders and then drop down a certain distance before pushing back up. Kyle could feel the pressure in his calves by the fifth rep. By the end of the third set, each lift felt as if his legs were dipped into fire.

Locking the bar back in place and stepping off the platform, Kyle wavered slightly. Restall was right there, reaching out to steady the man.

"Whoa there," the operative said, finding his balance, "that was close. Thanks."

"No problem," the big man said, "How does it feel?"

"Better now," Kyle said, "but wow, that exercise, it really targeted my calves."

"That's what it's designed to do," Restall said, "you can actually do it without the platform, but you don't get the same benefit as when you drop your heels down."

"I see," Kyle said, visualizing what the man was saying.

"Ready for some more?"

"Sure thing, coach."

The big man smiled at him.

An hour later, a sweat soaked Kyle Katarn dropped the dumbbell he was holding after the final rep.

"And that's it," Restall said, watching as the operative sat up, breath coming fast and hard. "How do you feel?"

"Don't know," Kyle gasped, "can't feel… anything… from… the neck down."

The big man laughed. "Don't worry. It gets better. C'mon."

Helping Kyle stand, the golden-skinned man led him over to another room containing a quarter mile circular track.

"And now," the big man said," we walk."

"Walk!" Kyle said incredulously, "I can't move!"

"You can. Just take it slow."

"Restall, seriously…"

"Trust me, Kyle."

The operative glanced up into the other's face. He sighed.

"Okay, but if I faint, it's your fault."

"You want mouth to mouth?"

Kyle's look was all the answer the big man needed.

The first three laps nearly did the operative in. His leg muscles, already weakened from the long workout, responded most negatively to being asked to do more work. As the two men began the fourth lap, Kyle was starting to get worried. His breath came in harsh gasps. He barely managed to speak as his lungs kept up their persisten demand for air.

"Restall… don't think… I can… do this… any more."

"Just a bit more," the big man said, "trust me."

Kyle glared at the golden-skinned man, who was having absolutely no trouble maintaining a steady pace.

_Doc's not gonna be happy when I show up in Sickbay again._

The pair were about halfway through the fourth lap, Kyle taking smaller and smaller steps. He was about to stop completely when he noticed the next step came a little easier and so was the next. A half dozen more and he began to sense as well as feel a change. Next to him, Restall smiled.

"You're feeling it, aren't you?"

"I'm feeling something," Kyle said.

Six laps later, the operative felt positively euphoric.

"How you doin'?" Restall asked.

"Good," Kyle said, surprised to realize he did indeed feel that way, "I feel good."

"The natural endorphins in your body kicked in," the big man explained, "but it isn't instant. That's why those first laps were so hard."

"I've felt something like this before," Kyle said, "but never at this level."

The big man nodded and the two continued, completing another half mile.

"Okay," Restall said, breaking stride, "that's enough for today."

Kyle almost didn't want to stop. He didn't want to lose the good feeling he had. Moving over to a water fountain, Kyle took a long drink, and then moved aside for Restall.

"So is this what you recommend going forward for me?"

Restall shrugged uncertainly. "It's not going to hurt you. But it may not necessarily be the best thing."

"Well then, coach," Kyle said, "what say we do it again tomorrow?"

The big man smiled at him. "Sounds good to me."

And with that, the two men headed for the showers. Emerging some minutes later, Restall headed off for a duty shift while Kyle returned to his quarters for another session with Rahn. That evening, he ate alone as there was still no sign of Jan. Kyle couldn't help but be a bit concerned about her, but he supposed no news was good news.

* * *

**New Republic Command Ship **_**Intrepid**_

**The Following Day**

After another restful night, Kyle rose and dressed. He was looking forward to seeing Restall again. He had more questions to ask his new friend. And he was looking to work out together with him again. When the door chime sounded, Kyle turned towards it, a smile coming to his face.

"Come in, Restall."

The door slid aside and a figure stepped in, but not the one he expected.

"Plana!" he exclaimed, "What are you doing here?"

"Well, that's kinda rude," the woman said to him, a frown on her face.

"I'm sorry," Kyle said honestly, "I didn't mean anything. It's just that I was expecting Restall."

"He drew a double shift today," she explained, "so you're stuck with me. Problem?"

"Not at all," Kyle said, "I appreciate what you both are doing."

The golden-skinned woman's face softened somewhat. "All right then."

"Any news from Jan?" he asked.

"No," Plana said, her brow furrowing again, "and I don't like it."

"I wouldn't worry too much about her," Kyle said dismissively.

"You didn't see her the other night," Plana said.

Now Kyle began to feel concerned.

"That bad?"

"Put it this way," the big woman said, "_I_ wouldn't have wanted to take her on."

Despite his concern, Kyle couldn't help but smile.

"Once she builds up a head of steam, Jan's got more resolve than a battle fleet."

"You don't sound worried," Plana observed.

"I'm not," Kyle said, "Jan's more than capable of taking care of herself. I'd be more worried about what she'll do to Vinial if she finds her."

"That's more or less what she said," Plana replied, looking at Kyle with a curious expression now.

"You want to know why?"

The big woman nodded.

"Let's go to breakfast," Kyle said, "I'll tell you on the way."

Still curious, but willing to wait, Plana nodded again and stepped outside the room with Kyle following.

* * *

**Mess Hall**

**Ten Minutes Later**

Kyle finished up the last part of the story just as they sat down. To his surprise, Plana started laughing. It went on long enough that he began to feel embarrassed.

"It's not that funny," he muttered.

"Yes, it is," Plana managed even as she continued to laugh, "You didn't see Jan's face. And to find out this is all it was."

When the big woman finally got herself under control, she looked to Kyle.

"How exactly do you manage to get yourself into so much trouble?"

The operative shrugged.

"Oh, this is rich, this whole thing. I thought maybe Vinial had threatened your life or something like that."

"She must've felt differently," Kyle retorted, feeling defensive towards Jan.

"I didn't mean anything. It's just that… she really cares about you, doesn't she?"

A second later, the golden-skinned woman's face morphed, her amused look replaced by one of surprise and shock. A hand flew up to cover her mouth.

"What's wrong?"

"Nothing," Plana said quickly.

Kyle looked down at his plate a moment before speaking again.

"Jan and I _are_ friends," he said, "good friends. We've saved each others' lives more than once. I suppose the way we are might come off as something more than it is."

Now Plana stared into his face, her eyes seeming to search his.

"You sure there's nothing wrong?"

"No," the golden-skinned woman said quickly, looking away, "nothing wrong."

"Anyway," Kyle said, "I think she'll be fine."

"You're right," Plana agreed.

Further conversation was spared as the two tucked into their food. Still, Kyle felt suspicious.

_What was that all about? She suddenly seemed to get uncomfortable when she mentioned Jan's and my relationship._

And on the heels of that thought came another, more disturbing one.

_Oh man, you don't suppose she's… that she… likes me? _

He thought back to the dance, how Plana had seemed to seek him out, specifically him. And from there, his imagination began to run wild.

* * *

Looking at the man sitting across from her, Plana thought back to when she and Restall had talked with Tinuviel and Nerwen. The twins' "theory "about Kyle and Jan had all the hallmarks of truth, and their evidence, while mostly circumstantial, was fairly convincing. So was their assessment of Kyle's awareness of what they saw so clearly.

_He really doesn't see it. How can he be so blind?_

Inwardly, she shook her head. She was all but convinced the twins were right, especially given Jan's reaction to what Vinial had done to Kyle.

* * *

Pushing his tray away from him, Kyle looked across to Plana.

"I'm just about finished. How about you?"

His dining companion still had a bit a food left, but as the operative watched, she polished it off in four quick bites.

"I'm done too," she said.

"Well, listen, I was going to head to the gym after this. You wanna meet up in a couple hours?"

"Oh," Plana said, "actually, I was planning on coming with you."

"You were?" he said, and then quickly covered by adding, "You were."

Part of his brain screamed a warning about being alone with the big woman. For a moment, he considered making an excuse, but doing so would look suspicious. And besides, what did he really know about how Plana felt?

"Okay," he said, "that's fine with me. I just wasn't sure you'd want to."

"Well truth be told," she said, "Restall _did_ ask me to make sure you did your walking after lifting."

Kyle smiled as he thought of his friend.

"I see," Kyle said, "well, then, if you're ready, let's go."

Plana nodded and after the pair dropped their trays on the cleaning belt, they headed for the gymnasium.

After changing clothes, Kyle retrieved the towel he used to mop away the sweat and rose from the bench he sat upon. The operative felt a certain awkwardness at the thought of working out with Plana. His imagination was still going overtime on how the woman might feel about him.

_Okay, Katarn, _he said to himself,_ enough of this. It's not like she's gonna grab and maul you or something. Give the woman some credit._

Nodding, he headed for the locker room exit, stepping into gym. He moved towards the cardio area.

"Kyle!" Plana called, "over here!"

He turned to look and barely kept his jaw from dropping open. In retrospect, he should have expected this, but at the time, he was caught quite by surprise.

Standing near a treadmill, Plana was partly turned towards him. She wore a pair of white shoes with socks that stopped about mid-calf. Close fitting black shorts left the majority of her legs exposed and the short shirt she wore left her muscled midriff visible.

Having only seen her in uniform before, Kyle knew Plana was large and strongly muscled, but he had no idea of just how good-looking she was. The picture in his imagination suddenly shifted.

_Oh Sithspit! What am I thinking?_

"Hey!" Plana called, "your feet glued to the floor over there or are we gonna do this thing?"

Her words got the operative moving. Approaching another treadmill, he spoke to her.

"Sorry, a little woolgathering there."

Plana nodded and stepped onto the treadmill, pressing the buttons and other controls to begin her workout. Kyle did likewise on the one next to her. As the pair went through their cardio routine, Kyle did his level best to focus on anything other than Plana. But his eyes seemed to be controlled by another force and he found himself stealing glances at her. The woman was a study in elegance, muscles moving in perfect concert with each stride.

The operative began to feel uncomfortably warm and finally forced himself to study the treadmill display. Thirty minutes later, the two stepped off their respective machines, sweat streaming off of Kyle. Plana was breathing in a similar fashion, but wasn't nearly as sweaty.

"You ready to lift?" she asked.

"Yeah," he muttered.

She stared at him for a moment, and then gave a quick chuckle before looking away.

"Y'know, I don't mind that much if you look."

"Huh?"

"I said, you can look if you want."

The realization of what the woman was saying sent a rush of adrenaline crashing through Kyle's system. His mind, however, seemed totally blank. He had no idea what to think, much less what to say.

"That's okay," he finally managed to say, "I need to focus on what I'm doing."

It was a lame attempt at an excuse, he knew.

"Okay then," Plana said.

_Don't tell me she bought it, _he thought.

Looking in her direction, he found Plana's eyes on him, an amused smile on her face.

"Something?" he asked.

She shook her head, the amused smile still there. "No, nothing, Let's get to it."

The workout went nearly as well as the one from the previous day. Despite the earlier embarrassment, Kyle soon discovered that Plana was as serious about workouts and lifting properly as Restall was. She also offered her own tips and advice as they went along. However, all did not go well for the operative.

"You sure about this?" Plana said as Kyle settled underneath the bench press.

"Yes," Kyle said, "I've only increased the weight by 10 pounds."

"I _know _that," Plana said, "but if you did the same exercise yesterday, the pectoral muscles might not have recovered yet."

"I can _handle_ it," the operative said with some annoyance.

"Okay," Plana said, holding up both hands, "I was just offering some advice. I'll be over on the curling machine. Let me know if you want help."

"I'll be fine," Kyle said.

As the big woman moved out of his field of vision, the operative began to wonder if he had been a little unfair with her. True, he wanted to prepare his body for the next mission as soon as possible, but overdoing it wouldn't help one bit. Part of his mind whispered that if had been Restall who had offered the advice, Kyle would have listened. But the larger part of his pride was louder. He'd show Plana that he could do it.

He cleared the bar off the holding supports and brought it down for the first rep. He pushed it back up with relative ease, his chest and arms responding in perfect unison. Down for another rep, then another, then another and another.

_One more,_ he told himself.

But as he brought the bar down, Kyle could feel something was wrong. Well, not so much wrong as a feeling that he had pushed too far. The weight came down, but when he tried to push it back up, he found he couldn't. Sucking in a breath, the operative strained, pushing up as hard as he could. The bar rose an inch, two and then came back down. He was just able to keep it from hitting his chest. He was drawing breath to call for help when a shadow came over him. Looking up, he saw Plana's concerned face looking down at him.

"I warned you," she said, reaching down with one hand and pulling the bar up. Together, the pair settled the bar back onto the holding clamps. Kyle sat up, his breath coming in long, harsh gasps. Just like before with Wineglass, he had nearly injured himself. And once again, he had been saved. Plana came around the bench, lowering herself onto one knee, bringing her face a bit closer to Kyle's.

"I knew it was too soon for you to lift that much weight," she said, anger in her voice, "But no, you had to try anyway. You're lucky I was here or you'd have a couple of busted ribs right now."

Part of Kyle wanted to retort, to say he knew what he was doing and had the situation in hand. But his logical mind knew this was a lie. It also told him just how right Plana was and asked the question that if Restall had been here instead of Plana, would he have tried the lift? The answer was just as clear as it was painful. He looked up into her annoyed face.

"I'm sorry. I should have listened to you."

The annoyed look faded and in its place was a more sympathetic one.

"That's okay," she said, reaching out to pat him on the shoulder, "I probably shouldn't have been so surprised. You're just as hard headed as Restall is sometimes."

"Is that right?" Kyle asked.

"He may be my fiancée and all," she said, "but there are times I just don't understand him. You have no idea what I went through just convincing him that I could serve as a security officer just as good as him."

The words hit Kyle like a ton of plasticrete. His imaginations about Plana, all his concerns and worries… all of it had been for naught!

"So you two are engaged?" he asked.

"Oh that's right," she said, "you don't know. Yeah, we've been engaged for nearly a little over a year now."

"It's a surprise," Kyle confessed, "Restall didn't say anything."

"That's partly because of me," Plana said, "the New Republic hierarchy sort of frowns on husband and wives-to-be serving with each other. So, we've kept it quiet."

Kyle nodded. It wasn't that different from him and Jan.

"You won't say anything?" she asked.

"Me?" the operative said, "about what?"

The big woman smiled at him. "Thank you."

"No problem," Kyle said, "listen, we'd better keep moving, otherwise our muscles are gonna get cold."

"You're right," Plana said, standing up, "c'mon, we'll do some work on that lower back. And listen to me this time, okay?"

"You got it," Kyle said.

The rest of the workout went without incidentl. Knowing what he knew now, Kyle had less trouble looking at Plana. Granted, his eyes still saw a smoking hot woman, but his mind knew she "belonged" to someone else. When the last of the lifting was finished, the two headed for the track where Kyle struggled through his first few laps until his legs loosened up and the endorphins kicked in.

"You feel better now?" Plana asked.

"Finally," the operative said, "those first few laps… whew."

"It'll get better over time," the big woman said, "eventually, your legs will get used to it."

"And listen," he said, "about earlier, what you said about me looking and all…"

She smiled at him. "I was teasing you a little. Sorry if I made you uncomfortable."

"Uncomfortable?" he said, "try full out panic."

"Oh come on," Plana said, "I can't be the first woman you've ever stared at."

"No, but most women aren't you."

Plana nodded. "I can understand that."

"Look," Kyle said, searching for the right words, "I'm not exactly sure how to say this. There's no doubt you're a beautiful woman. But I never meant to look at you like a… well, you know…"

Plana looked over at Kyle, her eyes widened. Then, she reached over and patted the man on top of his head.

"You're sweet," she said, "thank you for saying that."

Kyle felt his cheeks grow warm.

"No problem."

Letting go of him, Plana continued to walk next to the man, stealing the occasional glance at him.

_I think I understand a bit more of what Jan sees in you, _she thought.

The silence between them grew until both began to become uncomfortable.

"Hey Plana, can I ask you a question?"

"About what?" she asked.

"Well, this is kind of strange. But I was wondering… you and Restall, as big as you are, the two of you move around with this with… oh, I don't know, a kind of elegance."

Faint color appeared in Plana's cheeks. "Well, thank you. That's a nice thing to say."

Kyle shrugged.

"As to how, consider this. Restall and I came from a world where the gravity is three times standard gravity. "

"Okay," Kyle said, trying his best to get his mind to evaluate the statement, "and with 3G, working under it would put a greater strain on the body."

He turned to look at her. "And that's why you two are so big."

She smiled. "That's right. Now, having grown up with and being used to a 3G environment, what do you suppose happens when he hit 1G?"

Kyle thought for a number of minutes.

"Of course," he finally said, "because your bodies are used to moving in 3G, moving in 1G must be effortless."

"Pretty much," Plana confirmed.

"So that's how you can move as you do," Kyle said, partly to himself. "Wow, I had no idea."

"If you're interested, we can probably arrange a trip to our world."

Kyle considered this, and then shook his head. "No thanks. I don't think I'd quite fit in."

Plana laughed aloud at this.

"Y'know something, Kyle?" she said, "You're okay."

"Well thanks," the operative replied, "you are too."

After finishing their laps, the pair headed for the showers, meeting up outside.

"I need to go check in with Security," Plana explained.

"That's fine," Kyle said, "I need to head to my quarters anyway."

The big woman nodded. "All right then. I'll see you at lunch."

"See you then," Kyle said.

* * *

**New Republic Command Ship **_**Intrepid**_

**Quarters of Kyle Katarn**

Arriving back in his room, Kyle was about to begin another meditation session when he noticed the message light on his desk blinking. Pressing the button under the flashing light, he saw a simple text message appear telling him to contact Mon Mothma as soon as possible.

_Hmm. I wonder what she wants._

It occurred to the operative that the call might have something to do with his next mission. Sitting down at the desk, he activated the tabletop communicator.

His call was answered by Mon Mothma's executive assistant, a 3P0 type droid.

"You have reached the office of Supreme Commander Mon Mothma. I am TR-14. How may I help you?"

"This is Kyle Katarn calling. I had a message from Mon Mothma to contact her as soon as possible."

"Ah yes, Commander Katarn," the droid said, "I have specific instructions concerning you. Please hold one moment."

As the line went quiet, Kyle smiled to himself as the droid's use of his former rank. It was apparent Mon Mothma was using a few subtle actions to try and get him to join the New Republic formally.

A few seconds later, the voice of the Rebel leader came from the speaker.

"Kyle, thank you for replying to my message."

"No problem. What's going on?"

"There will an operational mission tomorrow morning at 0900 hours in the tactical briefing room."

The operative felt his heart quicken a little. An operational meeting almost inevitably meant a mission.

"For my next mission?" he asked.

"That will be discussed at the meeting. I understand from Doctor Berth that he has pronounced you fit for duty? Do you agree?"

Kyle almost responded in the affirmative right away. But something stopped him. He felt that he was ready for a new mission, but when he considered having had the leg worked on and all…

"I'd say I'm about 90% ready. I'm still getting the leg back up to snuff. But other than that, I'm in good shape."

_And there's also what Rahn's been teaching me._

"Very well," Mon Mothma said, "we'll discuss your status tomorrow at the meeting."

Kyle felt his heart leap a little. What Mon Mothma's words said to him was that unless he couldn't walk at all, the mission was likely a go.

"I understand," he said.

"I'll see you at 0900 tomorrow," Mon Mothma said, ending the transmission.

Shutting the communicator off, Kyle felt anticipation creeping up his spine, even with the uncertain promise of a new mission.

_I just hope I'll be ready._

**You will be, Kyle**, Rahn whispered inside his mind.

* * *


	19. Chapter 19: The New Mission

**Kyle Katarn: The Rise & Fall **

**Book 2: Birth of a Jedi **

**Chapter 19: The New Mission

* * *

**

A/N: Sorry about the late posting here, everyone. This chapter took a bit longer to write than I initially expected and in the state it was last night, it wasn't near ready. So here it is a day later, but better for it I think, although I'll leave you to judge. And with that said, let's do them shout outs!

Tig94: Glad to hear it! New mission is coming up in Chapter 20!

Nerwen Aldarion: Withdrawal pains? Crud, that stinks. Y'know, you make an interesting point. In a lot of ways, Rahn and Morgan Katarn _are_ very similar. One wonders what would have happened if both had lived. Yes, the upcoming mission will have a lot in it, many battles and Kyle's encounter with the first of Jerec's Dark Jedi. Should be fun scripting that one out.

Tinuviel: Remember my first degree is in English. I've read a lot of stuff in my time. One thing you'll find is that often literature reflects the time it's written in, although a lot of the old school writers used fairly unclear imagery in my estimation, like Emerson and Thoreau. But I digress. Yeah, for a guy who's never been in love, it must be hard trying to explain how you feel, especially to someone else. Yeah, in some ways I felt like the game didn't spend enough time with Rahn/Kyle moments, which is why I'm doin' what I'm doin'. Yes, in Zahn's duology, an alien ambassador (as I recall) brought in the microscopic creatures which made her terribly, enough that Leia had to take over as Chief of State, a role that became permanent even after Mon Mothma was cured. Trust me, I've dealt with the Elfin comments for a long time. Thing is now, I'm a lot taller and a lot bigger, so my brother's old friends called me that name at their peril!

A/N: All right then, on to the story. Actually, before we begin, I've just been having a conversation with myself and I think I might actually add some to this chapter later on. After all, I am Cliffie! Until next time everyone – Shanesnest

A/N 11/15/2009: Hey there, everyone. I decided this chapter needed a bit more to it, so I've added some to it. Hope you like the addition.

* * *

**New Republic Command Ship **_**Intrepid**_

After finishing his conversation with Mon Mothma, Kyle meditated for a short while, mainly to calm himself and keep his mind clear. Being excited about an upcoming mission was normal he knew, but that same excitement could prove distracting as well. When it was time, he left his quarters to head for the mess hall to meet up with Plana.

It was as he was leaving his quarters that the agent had an odd sensation. He stopped and looked around, but saw nothing. Kyle took a deep breath and held it, listening as intently as he could for any sound out of the ordinary. None came.

_Maybe I'm seein' things_, the operative thought.

Dismissing the incident, Kyle headed down the corridor to find a repulsor scooter, part of him still insisting he _had_ seen something, or at least sensed it. It wasn't until the man turned a corner and moved out of sight that the figure that had been hiding in the shadow of an alcove moved into sight. Eyes gleaming hungrily, the person moved to follow after the operative.

"Hello Vinial."

The red-skinned Twi'lek whipped around to find the massive form of Restall standing behind her. The surprised look on her face quickly faded to one of anger.

"What do _you_ want Restall?"

The big man smiled at her.

"Funny, I was just about to ask you the same question."

The Twi'lek's glare intensified.

"It's nothing to do with you."

Restall shook his massive head.

"Try again."

"It's _my _business," Vinial snapped, "unless you plan to force it out of me."

"No," the big man said, "not at all. Unless, that is, your business somehow concerns Kyle or Jan."

A quick flash in the red-skinned alien's eyes showed that he had struck a nerve.

"Let me give you one word of advice, Vinial. Don't."

"And just what is _that_ supposed to mean?" she said dismissively.

"It means exactly what it is. Don't. Don't go near either of them, don't talk to either of them, and don't try to do anything to either of them."

"Are you threatening me?"

"Just giving you some friendly advice, Vinial. Now, I believe you were going somewhere."

The Twi'lek glared at the security man a moment more, then with a huff, stepped away, in the opposite direction she had been about to go.

Restall watched until she disappeared around a corner.

_I have a bad feeling about this._

Fortunately for all concerned, Kyle met up with Plana without incident and the two shared a meal together, peppered by conversation as the pair got to know each other better. Kyle was surprised to find that as big as she was, Plana had a streak of vanity coupled with a lack of self confidence as far as her appearance. He did his best to assure the golden-skinned woman that she looked just fine. In turn, he shared with her stories of his childhood on Sulon and of going to the Imperial Academy. By the time the day was over, the two were as thick as thieves and both felt glad that they meet each other.

_She's something else, _Kyle thought.

_He's a really nice guy, _Plana thought.

* * *

**New Republic Command Ship **_**Intrepid**_

**The Next Morning**

Rising early, Kyle had himself dressed and ready to go a good half hour before he needed to be ready. The anticipation he had felt yesterday was that much greater this morning. He was just heading out the door when a whistle-beep came from Wee Gee.

"What was that, Weeg?"

The droid spoke again.

"Well, sure. You can come if you want. The mess hall is open to everyone."

The droid gave an acknowledging beep.

Kyle looked at the droid for a moment. In all the time since first coming aboard the _Intrepid_, Wee Gee had showed little, if any, interest in accompanying Kyle to his meals. Granted, the droid didn't eat, so there was no real motivation to come.

_So why does he want to come now?_

Kyle decided he'd ask the droid later. Right now, he wanted to get going. The two left the room and preceded down the corridor to the storage area for the repulsor scooters. Boarding one, Kyle took the controls while Wee Gee clamped himself to the deck so he wouldn't fall off. Ten minutes later, they left the vehicle at a recharging station and began walking the remaining distance to the mess hall. They were in sight of the entrance when a figure appeared, coming their way.

"Oh no," Kyle muttered.

It was Vinial.

The operative stopped, determined that this time he wasn't going to simply walk into a trap. If the Twi'lek had any intentions of doing something to him, she was going to have to come to him. And as he stood there, the operative saw that apparently, the red-skinned alien had every intention of doing that. He walk slowed as she came within a half dozen paces of the pair. Looking at her, Kyle found himself wishing he had brought along the lightsaber.

The two of them stared at each other for several seconds, almost like an old style western gun fight. Vinial had just started to move forward when Wee Gee darted towards the Twi'lek. A cry of pain split the silent air.

The droid backed away as curious onlookers, drawn by the cry, stepped out from the mess hall. What they saw was Kyle and Wee Gee standing to one side and on the other, a red-skinned Twi'lek clutching her middle, an expression of pain on her face. A chorus of beeps and whistles issued from the droid as it raised one if its arms, a heavy, long one with a welding torch on one end. The tip sparked. The Twi'lek, who had already backed up a number of steps, turned and ran away.

One of the crewers moved towards Kyle.

"You okay?"

The operative looked at the man, and then nodded. "Yeah, I'm fine."

"What was that all about?"

"Would you believe me if I said I don't know?"

The crewer frowned.

"Were the two of you having a fight?"

Kyle shook his head.

"Do you think you should call Security?"

The operative hesitated, and then shook his head again.

"No, not right now. I'll take care of it."

"But sir..."

Kyle's response was friendly, but firm. "I _said_ I'll take care of it, crewman."

The other man stared at him a moment more, then shrugged.

"As you say, sir."

Turning round, he moved back into the room, followed by the other onlookers after a few seconds. Alone in the corridor once again, Kyle turned to Wee Gee.

"You wanna explain to me what that was all about just now?"

The droid's single photoreceptor looked into the man's face.

"Well?"

The droid issue a whistle-honk.

"What do you mean you were afraid?"

The droid issued a series of beeps and whistles.

Kyle listened, the hard look on his face fading a little.

"Weeg, it wasn't _that_ bad."

The droid beep stridently.

"I know seeing it made Jan mad. Wait a minute, are you telling me you did this because of her?"

The droid beeped in the negative, then explained more.

Now Kyle smiled. Reaching out, he patted the droid affectionately.

"I appreciate that you didn't like Vinial hitting me before Weeg, but I _am _capable of defending myself."

The droid gave a disconsolate beep, then another whistle-beep.

"It's okay. You meant well. But tell me something. Since when did you learn to use your welding attachment like that?"

The droid seemed to draw itself up proudly and gave a self-confident series of beeps.

Kyle laughed aloud. "So there's things about you I don't know, eh? Talk about delusions of grandeur."

The droid made a blatting sound.

The operative shook his head and patted the droid again.

"We'll talk about it later. Right now, I wanna eat. You still coming?"

The droid beep affirmatively, following the operative into the room.

Kyle lingered over breakfast, taking his time eating and checking his chrono every so often. When it was just after 0830 hours, the operative rose from his chair and deposited his empty tray on the cleaning belt.

With Wee Gee following, he stepped out into the corridor and headed for the repulsor scooter depot. Finding one there, Kyle began to board the vehicle.

"Well, I'm heading off to my meeting. I'll check in…"

The droid cut him off, asking a question.

Kyle gave the machine a questioning look. "You want to come along?"

The droid beep affirmatively.

"I don't know, Weeg. This is an operational meeting. I don't think Mon Mothma will appreciate me bringing you along."

The droid spoke.

"I _know_ you helped last time. It's just that…"

The droid made a wheedling sound.

Though Wee Gee had no face to speak of, his beeps, whistles and honks sometimes gave the illusion of expressions. This particular one Kyle knew all too well. He sighed.

"All right, fine, you can come. But if Mon Mothma asks you to leave, promise me you'll go."

The droid answered affirmatively, boarding the scooter.

Turning the vehicle in direction he wished to go, Kyle advanced the throttle and sent it forward.

_I hope this isn't a mistake.

* * *

_

**New Republic Command Ship **_**Intrepid**_

**Mon Mothma's Briefing Room**

As he approached the room, Kyle was surprised to see two men standing to either side of the door. By the looks of their uniforms, they were security personnel. A bit puzzled, the operative shook his head and continued. He was almost to the door when one of the men reached out a hand, the palm facing outward.

"Hold it right there, sir. I'll need to see some identification."

The request was simple enough, but the operative felt his puzzlement return. Never before when he had come for a briefing had there been guards standing outside and never before had he been asked for identification. His eyes locating the rank tag on the uniform, Kyle spoke.

"What's this all about, Sergeant?"

"Orders from Mon Mothma, sir. No entry without confirmation of identity."

Kyle scoffed. "Sergeant, surely you _know_ who I am."

"I have to see ID sir, no exceptions."

Feeling some annoyance at the inconvenience, Kyle considered further protest. But given the size of the guards and the fact that they were two of them, he quickly reconsidered. Reaching into a pocket, he retrieved his ID card and held it out.

"The droid's with me," he muttered.

"I can see that, sir," the security guard replied, giving the small piece of laminated plastic a perfunctory examination before handing it back.

"Thank you, sir. You may enter," the big man said, pressing a control on the panel behind him. As the doors slid aside, Kyle took a final look at the two door guards before entering, Wee Gee floating in behind him. Another surprise presented itself once the two was inside. At previous briefings, the operative had sat across from Mon Mothma at a medium size table with an overhead holoprojector and a control pad built into the surface.

What greeted him this time was something completely different. A much larger table; colored in a mixture of alabaster white and deep gray spread out in a narrow shape from a central point sat in the back half of the room. Mon Mothma rose from the central chair as the operative stepped inside.

"I see you've redecorated," he said, eyes still drinking the scene in.

Wee Gee gave a low whistle at the scene.

Mon Mothma favored them with a small smile. "It serves my needs. And now, Kyle, I imagine you are wondering why you are the only one here."

He nodded.

"There is a personal matter you and I need to discuss before the meeting begins. Please have a seat."

Stepping forward, Kyle took the proffered chair, and nearly sighed with pleasure. Made of a soft, almost plush material, the chair cradled his body perfectly.

Mon Mothma smiled at the operative's expression. "I take it that changes I have made meet with your approval?"

Still luxuriating in the feel of the chair, Kyle nodded.

"Good. Now, to business. I have recently become aware of a situation existing between yourself, Jan and one Vinial Druugan."

The mention of the Twi'lek's name caused Kyle to sit bolt upright. Unable to help himself, he stared wide-eyed at the Rebel leader. Floating nearby, Wee Gee gave a low whistle-honk.

"Rather than dwell on the particulars, suffice it to say I am aware of the confrontation between her and Jan the other night. But apparently, this matter has, as yet, not been resolved."

Not knowing what to say, Kyle nodded.

"And then, most recently, I understand there was a confrontation involving you, Wee Gee."

With the spotlight suddenly turned on him, the droid did its best to hide behind Kyle's chair, giving a tweedling series of beeps.

In response to Kyle's chuckle, Mon Mothma asked. "What did he say?"

"He's worried you're gonna order him dismantled."

Mon Mothma did her best to hide her reaction, but finally had to cover her mouth with a hand.

"Wee Gee," she said a few seconds later, "come out here."

The droid moved its photoreceptor into view where the Rebel leader could see it.

"I am _not_ going to have you dismantled."

The droid tweedled something else.

"He wants to know if you're sure," Kyle translated.

"I'm sure," Mon Mothma confirmed.

The droid hesitated a moment more, then floated back into full view.

"What I _am_ concerned about," Mon Mothma said, "is the situation between you and Miss Druugan. Normally, I do not interfere in the crews' personal lives. But this is a problem that is not going away. Therefore, Kyle, I have to ask you an unpleasant, but necessary question."

_Oh boy, _the operative thought.

"During your time as a stormtrooper, do you recall any missions involving the Twi'lek's, a capture mission, a firefight?"

Kyle searched his mind, going over his memory of his time as an Imperial. After nearly a minute, he shook his head.

"Not that I can remember."

The Rebel leader nodded. "I expected as such. Therefore, I have to ask you something else. Would you object to an examination of your record to determine if you had any contact with the Twi'lek's?"

The operative considered this for a moment.

"I suppose not."

"I need a definitive answer on this, Kyle."

"Then no, I have no objection."

A relieved smile crossed the Rebel leader's face. "Thank you."

"Mon Mothma, May I ask what this is all about?"

The older woman nodded. "My investigations have determined that Miss Druugan seems to have a personal grudge against you. Apparently, she believes you to either be or be in league with a slaver who was in the process of selling her when a Rebel force liberated her, along with several others of her race."

Feeling a little disturbed, Kyle nodded. "Jan said something similar."

Mon Mothma also nodded. "As I said, I prefer not to get involved in such affairs. But given the incident today along with other reports I've received, there was little choice."

"So what do we do now?" Kyle asked.

"For now, we prepare for your next mission. I plan on having your contact in the data storage department, Wineglass, perform the examination on your file."

The operative nodded.

"In the meantime, I would ask you to do your best to avoid Miss Druugan."

Kyle considered this for a moment. "I understand."

"And Wee Gee?" Mon Mothma began.

The droid tweedled that it was listening.

"If another incident like this morning re-occur, I will expect you to take whatever measure you find necessary."

The droid whistled a firm acknowledgement.

"And now," Mon Mothma, reaching to the recessed control panel built into the table, "on to your mission briefing."

She pressed a control, which sent out a pre-arranged signal.

"It should just a few minutes," the Rebel leader offered.

"Then while we're waiting," said Kyle, "let me ask, why the guards?"

A cloud crossed Mon Mothma's face.

"There was an 'incident' aboard the _Trieste_ last week. Apparently, an Imperial spy managed to get aboard and nearly assassinated Captain Severn in his own operations room. Generals Riekkan, Madine and myself have agreed stricter security measures are necessary."

"I see," Kyle said, imagining the chaos if something similar happened on the _Intrepid._

Just then, the door to the briefing room slid opened and two familiar faces appeared.

"Ah, Aldarion, Undomiel, come in. Please have a seat."

"Thank you," the co-heads of intelligence said together as they moved to take chairs opposite from Kyle.

"And now," the Rebel leader said, "there's just one more person we need to begin."

As if on cue, the doors slid aside and in stumbled another familiar figure. She turned to someone outside.

"I can walk by myself, thank you very much. You don't need to push. And let me tell you something else, Restall… I…"

It was then that Jan Ors realized she was somewhere else. With her back facing the assemblage, the operative had likely not seen where she was going until now. She slowly turned around, the angry look on her face bleeding away as color began to rise in her cheeks.

"Ah, Jan," Mon Mothma said, "so good of you to join us."

Behind the agent came Restall and Plana, forcing Jan to give additional ground and move deeper into the room.

"Here she is," the big man said.

"Sorry it took so long," Plana added.

Mon Mothma waved the comments away. "I appreciate your hard work and diligence in locating her. Now Jan, if you will take a seat, we can begin the meeting."

For a moment, it seemed as if the agent would protest, but then she seemed to think better of it and walked towards the table, taking the chair next to Kyle.

"What happened to you?" he whispered.

"Never you mind," she hissed back.

The sound of Mon Mothma clearing her throat and the fierce gaze she trained on them shut both operatives up rather quickly.

The Rebel leader stared at them a moment more, then began speaking. "This new mission is two-fold in its purpose. First, we have the issue of the black ship Jan saw that destroyed the outposts in the Drovan system. Aldarion, Undomiel?

"We believe the black shuttle Kyle saw on Sulon may have come from this larger vessel," said Tinuviel.

"We have also determined this shuttle is the same one Jan saw in the Drovan system," echoed Nerwen.

Kyle remembered the ship and the cargo sled going aboard.

"The same one used to take the roof from my father's workshop."

"Precisely," the twins said together.

"But how do we know where it went?" Jan asked.

"If you recall the message Wee Gee played," Mon Mothma, "the one from Kyle's father."

"Sure," Jan said, nodding, "the about the…"

Her eyes widened a little.

"The roof with the map to the Valley of the Jedi!"

"Exactly," the Rebel leader confirmed.

"But how does knowing that whoever the black shuttle belongs to has the map?"Kyle asked.

"Consider this," Nerwen said, "the map is a 2 dimensional representation of the location of the Valley."

"Therefore in order to make it useful," said Tinuviel, "what do you think needs to happen?"

Kyle's eyes widened. "It has to be translated!"

"Right," the twins said, smiling at him.

"But how will whoever has it trans…" Jan began.

She was cut off by Wee Gee, who tweetled excitedly.

"You're right, Weeg," Kyle said, "They'd need a droid to translate it… 8t88!"

"And our most recent information has located 8t88," said Tinuviel.

"So, all you need to do is find him and we can get a lot of questions answered," said Nerwen.

"Where is he?" Kyle asked.

The twins looked to each other, then back at the two operatives.

"That's the problem," replied Nerwen.

"We think he's in the city of Baron's Hed," added Tinuviel.

"Baron's Hed?" Jan asked, "What's that?"

"It's the capital city on Sulon," Kyle said resignedly, "the very place I just got back from."

"Is that right?" said Tinuviel.

"Who knew?" added Nerwen.

Kyle gave them a sour look.

"Very funny."

Wee Gee also voiced his low opinion of the twins' joke.

"What do we know about this Baron's Hed?" Mon Mothma interjected.

"We've prepared…" began Nerwen.

"A report on it," finished Tinuviel.

At a gesture from Mon Mothma to proceed, one of the twins activated the holoprojector built inside the table. An image appeared of Sulon. Tinuviel manipulated the controls while Nerwen narrated.

"As Kyle said, Barons Hed is the capital city of Sulon. It was also once the location for the seat of government for the planet as well as one of the planet's largest marketplaces and business centers."

The view zoomed in to display an overhead shot of a roughly circular shape, with zig-zag pipeline visible on one side. As Tinuviel manipulated the projector; the display change to show the city from an eye level view. Several structures came into view, some angular, some dome-shaped. But what caught the attention of everyone seated at the table was the central structure.

"_What _is that?" Jan asked.

"Its' official name is Government House," Nerwen explained. "It was built some years after the Empire occupied Sulon after taking control of the G-Tap. "Its stated purpose is to provide a residence for the planetary governor as well as law enforcement personnel."

"So what's it real purpose?" Kyle asked.

Without exchanging a single word, Tinuviel rose from her chair and moved to stand where Nerwen was, while the latter moved to the chair.

"A military installation," the raven haired woman said, "we don't have a lot of first hand knowledge, but we've learned enough to surmise that Government House as well as the nearby area is an actual Imperial base."

"Wonderful," Kyle muttered.

"However, since the destruction of the second Death Star, the base has shown little to no activity over the last six months.

"So what does all this have to with what we've been discussing?" Jan asked.

"Something's changed, hasn't it?" Kyle queried.

Tinuviel nodded as she continued. "General Madine has informed us of a contact he has within the city. This contact has recently reported increased activity in and around Government House. In particular, a shuttle came in recently under heavy escort, a black shuttle."

Kyle looked to Jan, who nodded.

"So what's the plan?" he asked.

The twins switched places again. "To capture 8t88, of course," Nerwen said simply.

"Of course," Kyle echoed sarcastically, "and has either of you decided exactly _how_ we are going to do this?"

"Well, no," said Nerwen.

"But that's where you two come in," added Tinuviel.

The operatives sighed at nearly the same time.

"But there's more," added Nerwen, nodding to Tinuviel.

The image from the holoprojector changed, now showing an open waterway leading to an enclosed tunnel.

"This image came from a spy droid we managed to have smuggled into the city last week."

"This is one of the many channels used to bring water into the city," Nerwen explained, "now if you'll watch closely…"

The image began to move as the spy droid advanced. It moved into the tunnel, the light dissipating to a near darkness. However, as the droid continued, a source of light became visible. Down and to the right was a pathway, partly enclosed by permacrete pillars. Further along, the path took a sudden turn to the left and went out of view as the droid passed over a metal bridge over the water. Seconds passed without anything further and then, some distance ahead, a half circle opening appeared. Beyond it was visible cobblestone pathways and a smattering of buildings.

Then, with sudden abruptness, the image shook, and then wavered as the droid spun around. A shape became visible just as a crimson streak hit the camera. The image quickly went to static.

"What was that?" Kyle asked.

"A sentry droid," Tinuviel explain, having switched with Nerwen again. "Apparently, the Empire doesn't like visitors."

"Especially of the spying kind," Jan said.

Wee Gee gave of an angry series of beeps.

"Weeg thinks that droid needs a makeover, with a blaster that is."

Laughter swept the room for several seconds.

"Despite this," Tinuviel continued, "we believe this tunnel will provide access to the city. From there, your datapad and map should be able to guide you to Government House."

"And once inside, I find '88," Kyle said.

"Exactly," the twins said together.

"Sounds simple enough."

"Why is it whenever you say something is 'simple enough', it never is?" Jan said, looking at Kyle with one eyebrow raised.

Wee Gee tweetled something else, causing Kyle to throw a sharp look at him.

"What did he say?" asked Mon Mothma.

Kyle hesitated, but then translated the droid's words. "He thinks I'm gonna get toasted."

More laughter. In the meantime, the twins deactivated the holoprojector and resumed their seats.

"Is there any other information you have?"

"Only that General Madine's contact is somewhere within the city and he thinks the Empire might be on to him" said Nerwen.

"Why is that?" the Rebel leader asked.

"The last message from him indicated a number of mercs, pirates and other 'unsavory' types prowling around the city," said Tinuviel," asking questions and causing trouble for the local populace."

"What kind of trouble?" Kyle asked.

"Our intelligence indicates that after the Empire took over Barons Hed, much of the local trade and business community fell on hard times," Tinuviel began.

"Thanks to excessive Imperial taxation and regulations," Nerwen continued, "What shops managed to remain are struggling at best. This latest development can only make things that much worse."

A few low pops sounded in the room, low enough that only Jan heard. Looking over, she saw Kyle's hand right hand was clenched tightly. The sound had been his knuckles cracking.

_There he goes, _she thought.

"And that's about all we have," the twins said together.

"Thank you," Mon Mothma, closing her eyes for a moment. When she opened them again, she looked towards Jan and Kyle.

"Your assessment?"

"Getting to Sulon won't be a problem," Kyle said. "And if Nerwen and Aldarion are right about this waterway, I should have a clear path into the city."

"What then?" the Rebel leader asked.

"I do my best to remain inconspicuous while heading for Government House. Once inside, well… I'll figure it out when I get there.

Mon Mothma and Jan had similar disapproving looks and Wee Gee series of beeps echoed them.

"What?" Kyle said.

"You're assuming you won't be recognized or spotted by Imperial forces," Jan said.

"You also haven't considered the mood of the populace. They could just as well turn you in for a reward."

"Oh, right," Kyle said, "hadn't thought of that."

_Bull in a china shop,_ Mon Mothma and Jan thought.

"However," the Rebel leader said, "Given recent events and our dearth of information, it seems that finding 8t88 will provide a number of answers. How soon can you and Jan be ready?"

Kyle looked to his partner. "Two days?"

She nodded. "Should be enough."

"Very well," Mon Mothma said, "we will commence the operation two days from now. I will expect a final mission briefing tomorrow."

"Understood," Jan said.

"You got it," Kyle added.

"Very well, then," Mon Mothma said, "dismissed."

Standing up from the table, Tinuviel, Nerwen, Kyle, Jan and Wee Gee all passed through the entranceway and into the corridor outside. The co-heads of Intelligence moved one way while Jan turned to go in the other direction.

"So, you wanna tell me where you've been for the past couple of days?" Kyle asked.

Jan paused in mid-step. "Not really. You don't need to know."

"I don't need to know?" Kyle echoed sarcastically, "Jan, you took off out of my quarters after acting like an emotional wreck and then you've been all but missing for the last three days. And you really think I'll be satisfied with 'I don't need to know?'"

She was still facing away from him. "I had some business to take care of, okay?"

He heard a tinge of anger in her voice and while he was still curious about where she had been, he decided he could let it go for now.

"Okay, but just tell me one thing."

"What?"

"Are you okay? I've kinda been worried about you."

Now she turned to look at him, a sarcastic look on her face.

"Kinda?"

"Yeah," he replied, a smirk on his face, "I'd say it's about that."

Something seemed to pass over her face.

"Look, I know I need to tell you, eventually. It's just that… look, this is really personal and I'm really not ready to discuss things with anyone else. Can we just focus on the mission for now?"

"If that's what you want."

"Please," she said.

"Okay," he replied.

She gave him a look of profound gratuity.

"Thank you."

He nodded. "What say we meet tomorrow to begin prepping the ship?"

Jan nodded back. "I think I can handle that."

"See you then."

As Jan walked away, Wee Gee gave a whistle-beep.

"I think she's okay, Weeg. But there's obviously something bothering her, and I think its name is Vinial Druugan."

Wee Gee said more.

"Yeah, I think she's gonna be more trouble too. But I'll tell you this, Weeg, she'd better hope Jan doesn't get ahold of her."

And with that, the two headed in the direction the co-heads of Intelligence had just gone.

And so, over the next three days, the operatives met together to make sure everything was ready for the mission. Kyle did his best to keep the topic of conversation on everything except personal matters and the occasional looks he got from Jan reinforced each time that he was doing the right thing.

And for some reason, she seemed to be taking a dislike to Wee Gee, who had elected to come with Kyle each time and did his best to offer what help he could. Things finally came to a head when Kyle proposed bringing the droid along to help out.

"I don't know, Kyle. I'd rather he didn't come."

"And why is that?" he asked.

"I… I'd just rather it be the two of us."

"Well, Miss Ors," he replied with mock surprise, "I had no idea."

Jan's face went hard. "That's not funny, Katarn."

"Okay, okay, I'm sorry. But seriously, Jan. Think about it. Weeg could really be a help to us on this mission."

"All right," she finally said, "I'll _think_ about it."

"Good enough," Kyle said.

As Jan moved to the other side of the ship to checking something, Wee Gee moved close to Kyle and beeped something.

"Don't take it personally, Weeg. She doesn't mean it."

The droid asked a question.

"Yeah, I'm sure. Just give her some time."

* * *

**New Republic Command Ship **_**Intrepid**_

**Hangar Bay**

**Two Days Later**

With less than an hour to go before the planned lift off, it seemed that the mission would not begin at all as the two principal parts of it stood in front of the _Moldy Crow_ in a virtual face off.

"I still don't understand why he's going with us," Jan said.

Kyle sighed, "For the umpteenth time, Jan. This mission could take a day or more. Since I'd rather not be out of contact for longer than that, I need to be able to contact you ASAP."

"I understand _that_," she interjected.

"Then you'll also understand that we need to guard against our transmissions being intercepted. Wee Gee is capable of serving as transmitter and receiver while keep the signals scrambled and encoded."

"The _Crow's _communication system can do that," she challenged.

"Not like Weeg can. He'll be able to make changes on the fly, plus warn you if the signal is being traced."

"And how exactly is he going to do that?" she retorted.

"He'll tell you, of course," Kyle said with a roll of his eyes.

"News flash, Katarn. I don't speak droid."

"I know you don't Jan. Weeg, show her what Wexter built for you yesterday.

The droid's smaller, but more human shaped appendage opened a storage compartment on its front and extracted from it a text reader. After attaching an interface cable, the droid gave a series of beeps, followed seconds later by words appearing on the reader.

"See Jan? Now I can talk to you."

She stared at the display for a number of seconds, and then turned back to Kyle.

"Well… you could have told me he had that."

"I thought I just did."

"Katarn?"

"All right, all right," he said, "but what do you say? Can he come?"

Jan looked to the droid again, then back at Kyle. She blew out a breath.

"I suppose."

The droid gave a loud tweedling beep,

"Whoopee?" Jan echoed.

Kyle shrugged. "He's excited."

With that problem solved, the two operatives completed their final preparations. One of the crew in Intelligence had encoded the _Crow_'s transponder with a fake ID and Wexter had given the ship a thorough once over, pronouncing it ready. Having spent the last two days in a blizzard of meetings and preparation, the agents were both eager to go.

Approaching the ship, Jan turned to Kyle.

"You ready?"

He nodded. "I think so. I just wish it wasn't a water way."

"What was that?"

"I just wish it was anything but water."

"How come? Sounded like you had fun last time."

"Hey, I like swimming as much as the next guy. But after last time, I'd really prefer to stay dry."

"Oh poor baby," she said mockingly, "Does mommy need to bring you a towel?"

"Y'know, you're a real riot, Ors."

Just then, Wee Gee, floating just behind them said something. The two of them turned to look at the text reader.

"Listen, are we actually going or do you want to jabber some more."

"Jabber?" Kyle echoed.

"We weren't jabbering," Jan said defensively, "we were discussing."

The droid's reply left no doubt as to his opinion of that.

"Oh shut up and get on board, both of you."

Minutes later, the cockpit hood closed as Jan began powering up the _Crow_'s systems. The ship lifted smoothly off the floor and floated towards the hangar bay exit.

"Hangar bay control," she called into the radio, "this is the _Moldy Crow_, requesting clearance."

The watery voice of Puan Gell answered. "You are clear, _Moldy Crow._ Safe journey."

Jan acknowledged the transmission, and then advanced the throttles. The _Crow_'s engines flared briefly as they pushed the vessel outside of the hangar bay. Once clear of the _Intrepid_, it accelerated.

"Here we go," she called, pulling back on the hyperspace lever. The sound of the hyperdrive powering up echoed throughout the ship as the stars outside became lines and then disappeared as the _Crow_ flickered with pseudomotion and disappeared.

* * *

**Local space around the planet Sulon**

**Three Hours Later**

With a muted roar, the _Moldy _Crow slid out of hyperspace above the planet. The nose of the ship turned and dipped as the pilot pointed it towards the planet.

"So that' s it," Jan said.

"That's it, Kyle replied.

The orb before was a virtual riot of colors. Opal colored seas bordered the land masses, a mixture of reds, browns and oranges.

"It's beautiful," she whispered.

"What was that?"

"Nothing," she said quickly.

"Barons' Hed is located on the southern land mass," Kyle said, pointing even though Jan couldn't see him, "that section there just below the equator."

Jan adjusted the nose of the ship to point directly towards that area.

"Is the transponder online?" Kyle asked.

"Yes."

"Okay," Kyle replied, "the spaceport should be contacting us any second."

Wee Gee let out a series of beeps.

"Hey Jan?"

"What?"

"Weeg thinks you oughta adjust course back towards the spaceport."

"Why?"

"Because if the Imps detect us heading towards the base, they just might get curious, don't'cha think?"

"I suppose," Jan said, sighing as she adjusted the flight path.

They flew on for a few more minutes when the comm panel.

"Incoming ship, this is Sulon Approach Control. Please identify yourself."

Jan keyed the mike, "This is the vessel _Planar Force_ to Approach Control requesting permission to land."

"We have your transponder signal, _Planar Force_. What is the purpose of your visit to Sulon?"

Jan gave a tired sigh. "Just taking a break on the way to Coruscant, Approach Control. My companion and I were hoping to check out the wares in Baron's Hed."

The controller laughed. "You're not going to find much there, _Planar Force_. But enjoy yourselves anyway. Clearance is granted. Make sure you keep your vessel at least 10,000 yards from Government House. It's the central building there in the city."

"Understood, Approach Control. This is _Planar Force_, out."

"Nice work," Kyle said as Jan closed the channel, "couldn't have done it any better myself."

She said nothing in reply, but the scoffing sound that reached Kyle's ears was answer enough. And the next thing he knew, the ship heeled hard over to one side as Jan changed course back towards Baron's Hed. Kyle was thrown against his straps and Wee Gee uttered an electronic scream as he slammed against the side of the ship.

Once the ship straightened out, Kyle glared angrily towards the forward cockpit. "Hey! What the heck was that about?"

"Problem?" she called back.

"Well, considering what just happened to Weeg and me nearly being catapulted out of my chair, no problem at all."

"Aren't you strapped in?"

"Well, yes. But Weeg wasn't."

"Then that's his problem, not mine."

Kyle was about to retort when a voice seemed to whisper inside his mind, telling him to remain calm, to not allow his anger to speak for him. And so he said nothing. Weeg gave a low beep, the translated message appearing on the display screen.

Leaning in close, the operative answered. "I dunno, Weeg. Just stay cool, okay?"

The droid's reply was affirmative, but not convinced.

* * *

**The planet Sulon**

**Just outside of Baron's Hed**

**Thirty minutes later**

Settling on a high plain where the city of Barons Hed was visible, Jan settled the _Moldy Crow_, dust and dirt rising up as the repulsors stirred up the surface and the ship's landing skids came to rest on the rocky surface.

As Jan powered down the ship, Kyle keyed the cockpit hood, causing it to rise. The air of Sulon swept into the cockpit, a warm breeze that tasted a bit gritty as the dust and dirt settled.

"Well, welcome to Sulon, Jan. What'cha think?"

"I think we've got a mission to complete," she said, undoing her straps and pulling herself up out of the cockpit. Kyle looked to Wee Gee, then undid his own straps as the droid floated up and out of the cockpit. When the man joined him a few seconds later: the two found Jan standing near the nose of the ships, a pair of macrobinoculars to her eyes. Kyle moved up to stand beside her, his eyes taking in the view.

"Ah, Barons Hed," he said, "The Empire sure knows how to ruin a perfectly good city."

Expecting a reaction, Kyle looked to his right, but found Jan still looking through the macros.

"My guess is your pal '88 is somewhere in that large building in the center of town. The Imperials are all over the place. They're guarding it like a fortress."

_No surprise there,_ thought Kyle.

And then, as an attempt to relieve the building tension, he took a step forward and turned his head to look at Jan as she the macrobinoculars, her eyes still focused on the city.

"Well then, I'd say a visit's in order, don't you?"

Jan looked at him for a moment, then shifted her eyes away.

_Well, that one fell flat._

Just then, from behind the two operatives, Wee Gee offered his opinion of what Kyle had said.

The translation read, "Sure, a nice simple visit. Why don't you go up to the front door, knock and ask to speak to 8t88?"

"Weeg," Kyle said, training a look on the droid, "you're not helping."

"C'mon," Jan said, turning back towards the ship, "let's go."

She stepped back into the cockpit and had the repulsors going even as Kyle was strapping back in. Wee Gee had just gotten inside as well when the cockpit hood closed, nearly hitting him.

Having had it, the droid issued a loud series of beeps. Kyle read the translation.

"You wanna know what he said?" he asked.

"Not particularly," Jan said without turning around.

Kyle looked at the droid and shrugged.

Lifting off, Jan guided the _Crow_ towards the city. Overflying it, she found the path of the irrigation tunnel and within a few minutes, brought the ship into a hover over the spot that had been seen in the briefing.

"You ready?" she called.

"Just about," Kyle replied. He turned to the droid. "Weeg, you've got the scrambled frequency, right?"

The droid replied affirmatively.

"Okay, then. Now, listen to me. Until I come back, Jan is in charge, okay. You'll take your orders from her."

The droid tweedled something.

"Weeg, I don't have time to argue. Jan is in charge now and I expect you to listen to her, all right."

There was a pause and then Wee Gee answered in the affirmative, but reluctantly so.

"It'll be okay," Kyle assured the droid, then looked in Jan's direction. "Weeg is ready. Just let him know what you need and he'll take care of it."

"Fine," Jan said tonelessly.

"I'll contact you as soon as I get into the city."

"Understood," she said with the same lack of emotion.

Opening the cockpit, Kyle levered himself out and dropped the short distance to the ground. He was in a large, circular chamber where the perimeter was a tan-colored stone in block shapes about ten feet long by six feet wide. Each stone was angled down slightly, making standing on them a little precarious. But what made the operative groan inwardly was the large pool of water covering the rest of the space. After the multiple water channels he had been in during the last mission, the prospect of more water channels was less than attractive.

_Oh well, such are the things we deal with._

Looking up at the _Crow_, he waved once to let Jan and Wee Gee know he was okay. In response, the ship lifted up and away until it was lost from sight. For some reason, the operative felt a sudden wave of loneliness.

_Well, the sooner I get going, the sooner I can get out of here._

And with that thought, he started forward. Looking ahead, Kyle saw where the circular chamber came to a point where an opening was visible, leading to what looked like a water channel beyond. Rectangular blocks, colored the same as the stones under his feet bordered the entrance and opening and he could see where water was flowing out of this space and through the opening.

Making sure to keep his balance, the operative started around the curving path, drawing closer to one side of the entrance. The sound of water flowing got progressively louder as Kyle drew closer to the entrance. He noticed that the path made a sharp to the right, leading the operative to conclude that pathway continued. He had just started around the corner when a familiar, but unwelcome sound reached his ears. From around the other corner, a Tusken appeared. It caught sight of Kyle and bellowed loudly as it brandished its weapon.

Having heard the loud war cry before, it failed to have any effect on the operative. He simply pulled the blaster rifle from its holster, aimed it at the Tusken and fired. The attacker screamed in pain as the single shot burned into its chest. It tottered, tipped and fell, right into the water flowing through the entrance. It was clear enough that Kyle could see the still moving Tusken be pushed forward by the water towards a metal grate underneath. The attacker's body struck one pillar of the grate with some force, bending unnaturally. Kyle winced in sympathetic pain. Virtually folded in half, the Tuskens body was now able to pass through the grate.

Blaster at the ready against additional attackers, Kyle made his way down the short pathway to where the entryway opened out into a large water channel with angled stone pathways on both sides. The operative also noticed triangular projections jutting out into the water and positioned approximately every four feet on each side of the channel. Stepping onto a metal pathway that allowed one to cross over the metal grate, Kyle made his way to the closest triangular shape and stepped up onto it. The stone projection allowed him to step out further into the channel and look downstream.

There, just as it had been in the hologram, the water channel moved forward until it reached the place where a permacrete roof cut off nearly all of the light coming down from overhead. The operative looked in the other direction and noticed what looked like an opening in the wall opposite of where he was. Curious at what it might be, Kyle stepped back down onto the pathway, moving upstream until he found his path impeded by a featureless wall of the same color and material as the path. However, a metal pathway had been installed in this same area that allowed him to cross to the other side of the channel.

Once there, Kyle made his way towards the opening in the wall, stepping up onto another of the triangular projections in order to reach it. With the opening in front of him now, the operative soon discovered that what appeared to be a single opening was actually two separate rooms bordered by some dark metal bars that bordered the rooms. Inside, he found where someone had a laser pistol sitting on a wooden shelf and on the other side a couple of power packs. Unsure of why the objects were here, but deciding not to look a gift horse in the mouse, he took them.

Stepping back into the sunlight, Kyle began to move downstream once again towards where the roof over the water channel was. He was about halfway there when a strange sound reached his ears. It was like metallic quacking sound that came in three pulses. But there was no sign of what was making the sound. Suddenly, Kyle's right hand moved, seemingly independent of the rest of his body, and pressed down on the activation control for his shield. The corona of energy had just formed around the operative when the sound of laser firing reached his ears. Kyle staggered back as his shield was struck. Reganing his balance, he glanced about for the source of the laser fire. The quick pulsing sound came again, this time closer and from somewhere to his left. Looking that way, Kyle squinted a bit, focusing on the roofed part of the water channel. And then, out into the light, it came.

_A sentry droid!_

Recognizing the device from the briefing as what had attacked the New Republic spy droid, Kyle raised his blaster at the droid. He fired, but the attacker dodged the shots. Then, as the operative watched, it slid sideways and rose up slightly before firing again. Again, Kyle wobbled as the impact of the shot hit his shield. He tried firing again, but the droid suddenly dropped down and the shots flew over it. It fired twice more in quick succession, one hitting Kyle's shield and the other the stone near his feet. The double impact knocked the operative off the triangular projection. Hitting the pathway below awkwardly , Kyle tried to recover his balance, but failed. The next thing he knew, water flowed up past his face and head.

He had just realized he had fallen into the water when the swiftly moving current grabbed him. The operative was pulled along rapidly, making it all but impossible to know which way he was facing. One thing he did know for sure was that he wasn't surfacing and his air wasn't going to hold out forever. Suddenly, there was an impact along his left shoulder and back. He felt a pebbly surface against his skin, his mind surmising that he had fetched up against a wall. And then, something seemed to push against his feet. A second later, Kyle's head popped out of the water and he reflexively drew a breath. Shaking water out of his face and eyes, the operative looked around. He was in a dark space and could see almost nothing.

But as his hands reached out and down, he felt the pebbly surface of the wall the current was pushing him against. He managed to turn his body around so his chest was pressed against the wall and he was able to reach up along the wall. Several seconds passed as the operative's mind raced as to what to do. Just then, his hands came off of the wall and met air. Feeling around, his palms met a textured surface and a second later, realized it was a floor. Reaching up as far as he could, Kyle levered with his arms and pushed with his feet at the same time. His chest came up out of the water and a moment later, the operative coughed as he hit the floor. Despite the pain, a smile came to his face as he realized he was out of the water. Giving himself a few moment's rest, the operative pulled his legs out of the water and sat up.

Looking around, Kyle found his eyes had adjusted somewhat to the darkness of the room. He was able to see the floor he sat on and the swiftly moving water he had just come out of. The operative had just managed to rise onto his knees when the sound of footsteps reached his ears. A moment later, the owner of the footsteps appeared. Looking up, Kyle felt his blood run cold. Mere inches away and with a blaster pointed at him stood a Gran. The three-eyed alien said something in its language as it raised the weapon's muzzle to point directly at Kyle's head. At that moment, an insane thought came to the operative's mind and he voiced it before considering the words.

"Hi there. How you doing?"


	20. Chapter 20: In the City

**Kyle Katarn: The Rise & Fall **

**Book 2: Birth of a Jedi **

**Chapter 20: In the City

* * *

**

A/N: Sorry 'bout this folks, but I just realized I made a boo boo last chapter. When Kyle got caught in the current, I had it flowing in the wrong direction as related to the game. A large oversight I know, but such are the things that happen. I'll try and keep it straight from now on. Moving on, I've worked this chapter by playing a section of the Baron's Hed level in the game, then coming here and writing down what I saw really fast. Let's see if it works. I was worried this might be hard to write, but so far it's been easier than I thought. The question of course is, is it good? And for that answer, I'll have to wait and see what y'all think. But before you see what I've come up with, let's do the shout outs!

Tinuviel Undomiel: You're right. I'm starting to think Wee Gee is a comedy outlet for me. There's certain things you can do with a droid that just doesn't work with people. Yes, Kyle's burgeoning Jedi abilities will definitely help. You'll see it in this chapter. Yeah, I think Vinial is going to eventually push the wrong buttons, and whammo!

Nerwen Aldarion: Okay there, HG Wells! Waiting to see that happen! Weeg is a lot of fun to write particularly since he had an almost non-existent role in the Jedi Knight game. I have a lot of fun writing you two into the story along with others. Did Kyle have anything to do with Vinial? Hmmmm, gonna have to think about that one!

Mach Farcon: Muchas gracias. Wow, up there with R2 and HK47. Guess I've done okay with him then! You'll get no complaints from me about writer's block. I'm the one who had it for two years!

Manus Dei (Chap 18): You're right! They are kinda similar, although prettier! Yeah, ol' Vinial cruisin' for a bruisin'!

Manus Dei (Chap 19): I may have to include that at some point! It'd be fun!

Tig94: Well, you have to understand Jan's dealing with a lot. And she's the type that bottles it up instead of releasing it or talking it out.

A/N: All right, then! We're just about ready. But before I let you clear the final starting gate, I have a special tribute for two of my most rabid, loyal and delightful fans, Tinuviel Undomiel and Nerwen Aldarion. I have talked at length about what these two girls (I mean, women!) have done for me and the encouragement and good times they've provided. So it is with a smile on my face that I say Happy Birthday to both of them! Hope you enjoy, ladies.

Now, on to the chapter!

* * *

**The Planet Sulon**

**Outside the city of Barons Hed**

It seemed the mission was over before it had even begun. The operative was seemingly caught with no way out. His blaster rifle was lost, probably sitting somewhere on the bottom of the channel by now. And then, he had spoken to the alien like he would a friend. The whole situation was quickly turning quite insane. But then, something unexpected happened. While most Gran understand Basic, this one didn't seem to. As Kyle watched, the alien moved the blaster away from his head, and then motioned with it.

_It didn't shoot_, he thought, surprised.

The Gran repeated its gesture. Slowly, Kyle rose to his feet; his would be captor watching him carefully. It made another gesture towards the operative's belt. This one was clear enough that he had little trouble understanding it. Reaching for his holster, he pulled out the laser pistol and held it out towards the Gran. The three-eyed alien took it and attached the weapon to its own belt. It gestured again towards Kyle.

The next nearest weapon was the lightsaber. Even as he reached to retrieve the weapon, Kyle wondered if there was any way to keep the Gran from taking it. There weren't too many things he owned that were precious to him; the lightsaber was one of them. The alien seemed to sense his hesitation and aimed the blaster at Kyle's head once again before making the "give me" gesture again.

_I've got no choice._

Reluctantly, he unhooked the metal tube and held it out. The Gran roughly yanked it away, saying something in its guttural language. Then, something equally strange happened. Rather than continuing to disarm the man, the alien examined the burnished cylinder, turning it this way and that, looking at the surfaces and boxy nodules. As the open end of the tube turned towards the alien's face, Kyle remembered one of his recent lessons from Rahn. It wasn't exactly the ideal setting to try it in, but as he considered his options, there was little choice other than to try.

_I just hope this works._

Closing his eyes, Kyle pictured the saber hilt. He concentrated hard, mind focusing on the saber and on a single, simple function. At first, the Force almost seemed to resist him. He couldn't seem to find his center.

_Please, _Kyle thought, _please let this work._

Just then, the operative felt a curious sensation in his chest. It was as if his breathing was drawing cool air inside his body. And he began to felt strangely calm. With an odd sense of confidence, he knew the vision in his mind was going to bear out. A second later, it happened.

With a _snap-hiss_ that echoed loudly in the space, the lightsaber ignited, the brilliant green shaft coming forth, stretching out, covering the distance between the hilt and the Gran's head in less than second. There was an eruption of skin, bone and blood as the alien's head effectively exploded. Within seconds, the rest of its body went limp and dropped to the ground. The lightsaber fell to the ground as well, its safety protocols deactivating the weapon.

Kyle stood there in shock, amazed at the awesome destructiveness of the weapon. A beam of pure energy, it had erased the Gran's head as if it wasn't there at all. The lethality of the lightsaber was almost beyond description. The operative realized he felt a combination of loathing and fear at what had just happened. To kill an enemy was one thing, but to so completely destroy one like this…

_**I feel your pain, Kyle. But this you must overcome.**_

It was Rahn, speaking inside his mind.

_But Rahn… the Gran… what the saber just did…_

_**You are a soldier, Kyle. This cannot be the first time you have ever killed.**_

_No, it isn't. But not like this. It was never like this._

_**I do not mean to be callous, Kyle. But that alien was an enemy who would have killed you given the chance.**_

_I understand that, but…_

_**The choice is yours, Kyle. You can let this event crush you emotionally, even break you. But ask yourself one question, is that what you want? For that matter, is it what Jan would want?**_

_That's not fair, _Kyle thought back angrily.

_**No it is not. But you're going to find that life is not always fair, my friend.**_

For some reason this struck Kyle as funny. He chuckled. _Yeah, I'm pretty well acquainted with that concept._

_**There is one other thing you can do, although we have not practiced it.**_

_What's that?_

_**Close your eyes and concentrate. Center yourself in the Force.**_

Having just exercised his Force ability, it took only nearly a minute for Kyle to do this.

_**Now, stretch out with your mind. Seek out your friends, those you care for. See them in your mind.**_

It wasn't difficult for the operative to find an image right away. But then, other faces floated into his mind, Mon Mothma, Puan, Wexter, Tinuviel, Nerwen, Restall, Plana, Wineglass and many, many others. A veritable sea of faces.

_I see them._

_**Good, now reach out further. Allow their feelings to enter your mind. Sense their emotions.**_

_But I thought Jedi discouraged emotions. It's part of the Jedi Code you taught me._

_**The Code was written many thousands of years ago, Kyle. And I, like other Jedi, have questioned the discouragement of emotions.**_

_The Code says emotions are the gateway to the Dark Side._

_**From a point of view, this is true. However, to embrace the Dark Side is to allow one's emotions to rule, to abandon things like common sense and reasonable thinking. Stay in control of your emotions, Kyle. Do not allow them to decide for you and I believe you will keep the Dark Side at bay.**_

The operative felt uncertain. _All right, I'll give it a try._

_**I would invite to consider the words of Master Yoda, Kyle. Do or do not, there is no try.**_

Still feeling uncertain, the operative selected one out of the sea of faces and opened his mind further, exposing himself to the person's emotions. What he felt was so plain and shocking that he reflexively jerked away.

_**You see what I mean?**_

_I felt it, _Kyle thought, _I felt her feelings. It was so raw and yet so clear._

_**And how does it make you feel?**_

It took only a few seconds for the operative to express himself.

_I feel… good. Encouraged, invigorated, even._

_**Such is the power of other's feelings, Kyle. This is why the Jedi Masters cautioned even seasoned Jedi against emotions. The power in them is great.**_

Kyle realized he still felt horror at what he had done to the Gran. But at the same time, he felt in control of himself.

_I think I can continue._

_**Then do so, my friend. And remember our lessons. They will serve you well.**_

And then, Rahn seemed to depart from Kyle's mind, another odd sensation.

Taking a deep breath, the operative squared his shoulders and made a quick inventory of his status. The shield had shut down when he fell into the water, but seemed otherwise undamaged, although the power level was down to 60%. All of his gear was still in place, save the blaster rifle. Looking down at the remains of the Gran, he saw a similar rifle lying on the ground. He picked it up, wiping off a few bloodstains.

With that done, Kyle took a look around, assessing the area he was in. To his left was the swiftly moving water, the sound of its passage filling the darkened space. What little light that got inside would have proven insufficient for the operative to continue on his way, but a strong light was coming from somewhere. Looking up, he spied an overhead lighting fixture that lit up the space he was in. Looking ahead, Kyle could make out a walkway stretching out ahead of him, all of it brightly lit.

_Well, this is convenient._

And then, with one large and careful step, he moved past the Gran and started down the path. His course wasn't exactly a straight one as the path bowed outward at one point, bringing him uncomfortably close to the water. But then, it moved inwardly after a distance and a thick stone column gave the operative a sense of safety and security from ending up in the water again. He was just passing around the column when he heard the alarmed cry of another Gran. Unable to see the alien, Kyle nevertheless pointed the blaster in the general direction the voice had come from and opened fire. A hail of shots lanced out from the weapon, some striking the water, other harmlessly ricocheting into the far wall. But then, the operative heard a guttural cry of pain, followed by the sound of a body falling.

Stepping the rest of the way around the column, he found the Gran's body lying across the stone path. After making sure it was dead, he stepped over the corpse and continued following the path as it began to describe a turn to the left. Kyle made it around the first part of the turn and was approaching the second when a new, angry cry echoed in the space. Out from behind another column appeared a Tusken, brandishing a weapon similar to Kyle's bowcaster. It fired, the first few shots striking the wall near the operative and showering him with pieces of the stone wall. Drawing back, he activated his shield and aimed the blaster rifle. Counting to three, the operative moved around the column and fired blindly. He was met with a chorus of return fire. This time, the shield was hit twice, pushing Kyle back a few steps.

Taking cover behind the column once more, he heard the Tusken issue its battle cry once again, but this time it was closer. He tried coming around the column again, but the return fire was too intense, causing him to retreat once again. The operative began to consider what strategy to employ next when a metallic banging came from nearby. Kyle's eyes went wide as he looked that way and saw a thermal detonator rolling his way. Under normal circumstances, Imperial battle tactics such as he had learned dictated a retreat in a situation like this.

Instead, in a completely insane move, Kyle darted forward, snatched up the silvery globe and threw it into the water. A geyser erupted seconds later, drenching the operative. The Tusken cried out again as it too, was hit by the water. Turning towards it, Kyle saw the alien catch sight of him. It raised the weapon it held and pulled the trigger, but nothing happened. The two beings stared at each other in surprise, wondering what had happened. Kyle was the first to react, leveling his blaster at the Tusken and firing. The impact of the shots sent the Tusken smacking into a wall behind where it stood. The now lifeless body fell to the ground seconds later.

With water dripping from just about everywhere, Kyle stepped forward and retrieved the attacker's weapon, examining it. A surprised laugh bubbled up as he saw the firing mechanism had jammed, preventing the weapon from firing. It was a thousand in one chance, but for Kyle, it had worked in his favor. Still grinning widely and shaking his head at the incident, he removed the power pack from the rifle and placed it in a pouch on his belt.

It was then the operative noticed that the pathway he was on had come to an end, or so it seemed. The final left turn ended in a narrow metal bridge that ran over the water and across to the other side where a dome shaped opening was visible. Taking a moment to make sure his blaster was ready, Kyle started across the bridge. He was about midways when his eyes caught movement from somewhere off to his right. Turning that way, the operative saw what looked like a raised platform about twenty feet away. And standing on the platform was a Gran. Completely exposed, the operative waited for the alien to open fire, but it didn't.

Standing there for several seconds more, Kyle watched as the Gran walked down to the far end of the platform and then came back to where he had first seen it. The alien still didn't seem to have noticed him. The operative decided it was a good chance to take the Gran out; however the distance was too great for a reliable blaster shot. With the alien moving, Kyle knew it would be nearly impossible to hit it on the first shot. Maybe on the fourth or fifth, but by then, the Gran would be returning fire and the bridge provided no cover whatsoever.

That's when Kyle remembered the bowcaster. Pulling it out, he settled the stock on his shoulder and adjusted the sights. He centered them on the Gran's midsection, moving the weapon to follow the alien's movement. He let it complete another circuit before settling his finger on the secondary trigger. This was going to be one shot chance, and it needed to count. Taking a deep breath and holding it, Kyle waited as the Gran drew closer, closer. It stopped and began to turn around just as he squeezed the trigger.

The weapon kicked strongly against his shoulder as a single dart of green-white energy issued from the muzzle. It streaked away, covering the distance in less than a second. Kyle watched as the Gran paused in mid-step and seemed to turn.

_Sithspit! I missed!_

And then, in the next moment, the form of the alien's body wavered and toppled, falling off the platform, impacting the water with a loud splash. Kyle pumped his fist, exhilarating in the moment. He waited there on the bridge for several more seconds to see if the weapons fire or the splashing sound had drawn the attention of anyone or anything else. When the operative detected no additional movement, he stood and holstered the bowcaster.

_Gonna have to make sure I tell Chief Brolly about this when I get back. He oughta be pleased._

Grinning at the thought of the weapons' chief reaction, Kyle crossed the rest of the bridge and approached the dome shaped opening. Darkness greeted him beyond the entrance, an indigo so deep he couldn't even make out the floor beyond. A moment later, the loud cry of a Tusken send a strong shiver down the operative's back and nearly made him cry out. The alien emerged from the darkness, swinging its weapon up towards Kyle. The operative reacted quickly and with two blaster shots, dispatch the attacker. Heart beating like a triphammer and adrenalin whipping through his system at lightspeed, Kyle took a couple of minutes to calm down.

He wasn't exactly _afraid_ of the dark, but the combination of the inky blackness combined with the Tusken's sudden cry had frightened him. Feeling almost hyper-aware now, the operative decided he had to proceed and so took a step forward into the dark space. At first, there was nothing except darkness. He took another step, and then another. Suddenly, there was a scraping sound as the muzzle of his blaster hit a wall. Lowering the weapon and reaching out, Kyle felt the rough surface of the wall. Keeping his hand there, he turned to the right and moved ahead a few more steps, allowing the wall to guide him. He stopped only when the blaster's muzzle found a second wall in front of him. Executing another right hand turn, the operative nearly sighed in relief as he saw light shining in from an opening ahead and to his left.

He was just about to move towards it when a shape appeared, partially blocking the light as it moved into the space where Kyle was. A guttural cry came from the form, telling him it was a Gran. The operative tried to raise his weapon, but the alien surged ahead too fast for him to hit. A fist struck Kyle's face, the impact knocking him back into the wall behind him, his blaster rifle falling from his hands and clattering to the ground. A follow up blow caught him in the stomach, followed by another to the chest. Staggered and fighting to breathe, Kyle tried to retreat, but the Gran pursued him. It fired another punch that the operative barely managed to dodge, but another caught him across the cheek, making his teeth clack together painfully. Another smack to the chest sent the operative crashing to the ground. The enemy stood over him, raising its hands as if in victory.

A sensuous voice had begun to speak inside Kyle's mind, speaking words to him, words of retribution, of revenge, of giving in to his emotions and using them to beat this attacker. It sounded wonderfully tempting. Despite the haze of pain in his mind, the operative remembered the last time he had given in, the surge of power he had felt, the confidence, the strength. He knew if he listened to the voice, he would have the power to dispatch the Gran. And then, unbidden, Jan's face popped into his mind. She looked almost strickened. Her lips were moving, although Kyle could not hear her voice. And yet somehow, he could understand what she was saying.

"Don't do it, Kyle. Don't give in. Don't allow yourself to become the very thing you hate. Don't do that to me."

And then, it wasn't just Jan speaking. A chorus of voices filled his mind, all saying the same thing. Don't give in, they said; don't fall into the trap of the Dark Side. And with the voices came a surge of such wonderfully positive emotion, that its power nearly overwhelming the operative, seeming to fill him from the inside out. He still felt pain and anger at what the Gran had done to him, but more so, he felt a surge of power and strength and above all, calmness. And unlike the times before, it felt right.

Standing over the fallen foe, the Gran was getting ready to attack again when the human suddenly moved. The alien found itself crying out in pain as the human's feet crashed into its midsection. Staggered by the blow, the Gran moved back a few steps, recovering its balance. When it looked towards where the man was; the alien felt surprise to see him on his feet and… smiling? With the attacker backed up and having had the time to get to his feet, Kyle found himself smiling at the Gran. He reached out a hand and waggled his fingers.

"Come on."

The alien took the invite and surged forward once again. But this time, Kyle was ready. He sidestepped the initial attack, and at the same time, stuck out his foot to trip the Gran. As it fell, crying out in surprise, Kyle laced his hands together and brought them on the alien's back, hard. It crashed to the ground, bellowing in pain. Moving back a few steps, the operative waited to see what would happen next. Surprisingly, the Gran managed to rise to its feet, albeit slowly. Blood was running from one it nostrils and one of its eyes was partially shut. In situations like this in the past, Kyle felt certain he would have leapt to the attack. But this time, he felt something completely different, almost like pity. He found himself speaking a second later.

"Okay," he said, "that's enough. What do you say you surrender and we call this a draw?"

The alien seemed to absorb his words and consider them. Kyle began to wonder if it might really agree when it surged forward once again. Shaking his head, the operative also leapt to the attack. Sidestepping the Gran once again, he lifted a knee into its midsection, stopping the attacker's charge and dropping in onto its knees, fighting for air. Raising his right hand high over his head, Kyle brought it down with a grunt of effort. The blow landed just above the point where the Gran's neck met its body. There was audible crunch of bone as its neck was broken. A moment later, with a last, guttural exhalation, the Gran fell to the ground, dead. Stepping away, Kyle took a minute to recover. His face, chest and stomach all hurt, but not overwhelming so.

_That was not fun._

The operative also considered how he had felt during the fight, how different it was than before. This had been unlike any fight he had had before. He felt some satisfaction in dispatching the enemy, but also a degree of pity for the Gran as well.

_**This is the Light Side, Kyle. **_Rahn suddenly said in his mind.

_I don't think I understand_, Kyle replied after a moment_._

_**The power you felt when using the Dark Side before is no different when using Light Side power. The true difference is in the Jedi's own feelings about battle.**_

_I…I almost feel sorry for that Gran, even though he attacked me._

_**This is how it should be. Jedi look to preserve life, not extinguish it or take it away. **_

_But how am I to deal with these feelings?_

_**I would think you would know the answer to this. Tell me, if Jan were here, what do you think she would say?**_

The operative considered this for a time.

_She would say to stay focused on the mission._

_**And so you should, **_said Rahn.

Taking a deep breath and letting it out, Kyle considered what the old Jedi had just told him.

_This learning to be a Jedi sure isn't easy._

He heard Rahn chuckle in his mind.

_**It is the hardest thing you have ever done, or ever will do, my friend. Being a Jedi is a lifetime commitment.**_

_And you still think I can do it?_

_**I would not be here otherwise, Kyle. **_

Feeling a rush of energy at hearing this, Kyle took another deep breath,

_All right then, let's go._

Rahn said nothing further and while Kyle could still feel his presence, he knew he was going to have to do this on his own. Moving around the darkened space again, the operative located the area of light once again and moved towards it until he stepped into a lighted room. The space looked to be some sort of storage area and was lit by wall sconces spread every foot or so. Kyle noticed a collection of boxes on one side of the space while the other was completely empty. Between them was a wall section that looked as if might be moveable. But as none of this was important to the mission, Kyle moved passed and approached the exit where the light did not reach and the darkness took hold once again.

Given his last encounter, the operative decided to go in prepared this time. Unclipping the lightsaber from his belt, he ignited the device, the _snap-hiss_ echoing in the space. With the brilliant green beam held out in front of him, Kyle moved into the darkened space. He quickly found that the room beyond widened out into a sort of lopsided triangular shaped room, with the apex taking the form of a ramp that led upwards and out of sight. Surmounting it, Kyle found himself in a narrow corridor, the end of which was lit with more wall sconces. Shutting the saber off as he stepped into the lighted section, the operative executed a right hand turn and less than a half dozen steps later, found himself on the same elevated wooden platform he had seen from below.

The wood making up the path itself was aged looking, streaked with discolorations and a few small cracks, but it proved to be strong and as Kyle began to walk down it, he could feel how solid the platform felt under his feet. Moving through a shallow left hand turn, Kyle saw where the path came to an end. There seemed no way off it at first until the operative reached the end and found an equally aged, wooden door to his left. He also noticed an oval opening in the wall about six feet from where he was. An oval platform of notched permacrete was visible on both sides, suggesting that it might be a moveable hatch capable of closing off this space. Beyond the opening, Kyle could see the blue sky of Sulon, dotted with clouds.

The first indications he was nearing the city were visible as well. He could see a lake in roughly the center of the space, feeding the water channel he had just come from. Beyond it was a low bridge comprised of gray permacrete. To the right of that was a stone patio of the same color as the walls in the chamber he was in now. Just below the patio was another wooden platform running the length of the patio and comprised of the same wood he stood on. To the left of the bridge two more buildings were visible, but too far away to make out clearly. Deciding to proceed, Kyle began to examine the door for a way to open it when it slid aside, seemingly of its own volition. Inside was a nearly featureless room of gray permacrete. As the operative took a step inside, he noticed two large brown boxes to his left. There was a flicker of movement followed by a cry.

"On your right!"

Kyle turned that way instinctively and found a Tusken crouched low and inching its way towards him. As the operative turned that way; the Tusken rose and uttered its war cry, but was cut off in mid bellow as Kyle shot it. With the enemy dispatched, the operative turned to the other person, eyes taking stock of him. The figure of an older man stood there, sporting a medium-length beard shot through with white and gray. He wore a simple robe in a mixture of tan, gold and brown and a similarly colored peaked hat, covering his hair. The man was wide-eyed and glanced at Kyle with both fear and suspicion in his eyes.

"Are you all right?" the operative asked.

"I don't know," the man answered, "are you one of them?"

Kyle couldn't help but smile. "Hardly," he said, holstering the blaster.

A light seemed to come into the man's eyes. "Wait a minute! I've seen your face before; you're Kyle Katarn aren't you?"

The operative considered denying it, but what was the use? "Guilty," he said.

"The Imperials distributed a wanted poster with your face on it. They offered a reward for you, dead or alive."

Now the operative began to feel uncomfortable. "Please don't tell me you're going to try and claim it."

The older man shook his head. "Turn in the son of one of the men who fought to protect us? You obviously don't know me, boy."

Kyle smiled gratefully at the man. "Good. Now, are you all right?"

"Fine," the man said, gazing with disgust at the body of the Tusken. "I had come here to get supplies when that… that… thing accosted me and tried to take my wares. You came in shortly after."

"So the city is nearby then?"

The older man nodded. "You're on the outskirts. But the main plaza is less than a dozen kilometers from here. So why are you here, Kyle Katarn? Fighting for independence, like your father did?"

"Not exactly, I'm trying to track someone down."

"Who? I might know them."

"Doubtful," Kyle said, "this someone is a droid."

"A droid?" the older man echoed.

"Yeah, he has some information I need."

"Ain't seen no droid around here lately, at least no new ones."

"That's okay," Kyle said, "I think I know where he is."

"Where?"

"Look, I don't want to get you involved. It's better if you don't know."

The older man seemed to take offense at this. "Well, if that's the way you feel about it. But Baxel Gharnt never turned away someone in need. He ain't about to now."

"Look, Mr. Gharnt, I appreciate it, but if you help me, the Imps aren't gonna like it."

The man waved the comment away. "Ah, those tin-plated troublemakers already make life hard for me. It can't get much worse."

Realizing the older man wasn't going to back down, Kyle relented.

"All right then, which way do we go?"

"Follow me," the older man said, shouldering a large, overstuffed pack. Kyle moved to assist him, but Gharnt waved him away.

"I may be getting old, boy. But I can still carry my share. Now, come along."

With the older man in the lead, Kyle followed him down a low ramp and around a left hand turn towards a dome shaped opening, beyond which sunlight was visible. As they got closer, the operative began to experience a feeling, a feeling that something was wrong.

"Hold up a sec," he said to Gharnt.

"What's wrong?"

"Nothing," the operative said, "at least I hope so."

Moving past the older man, Kyle edged towards the lip of the opening. Outside, a cobblestone path was visible bordered by a high sandstone wall with a simple, decorative molding running along the top. Moving around the lip of the opening and out into the sunlight, Kyle observed a two-story structure a short distance away, comprised of stone similar to the path. Two large windows were visible on the second floor and a wood entrance door towards the middle of the structure.

A second after he saw this, Kyle knew his danger sense was right on. Laser fire spanged off the wall next to him and struck the cobblestones. He looked and saw a Tusken, standing in the leftmost window of the building, firing down at him. The operative quickly retreated to the safety of the enclosed space behind him.

"What is it? Gharnt demanded, "What's going on?"

"A welcoming party," Kyle said, "looks like another Tusken on the second floor of the building just across the way."

A look of horror came across the older man's face.

"That's my home! My missus is in there!"

Gharnt started to move past Kyle, but the younger man restrained him.

"Let me go! Let go, blast you! I have to help her!

"Hold it! You go out there, that Tusken's gonna cut you down!"

Struggling to hold onto the other man, Kyle kept talking.

"You're no good to your wife dead! Settle down! Let me handle this!"

Reluctantly, Gharnt stopped struggling. But the stricken expression on his face made Kyle's heart thump painfully. The man nodded.

"All right, boy, all right. Go ahead. But you better get him or I will."

Nodding gravely at the older man, Kyle activated his shield and readied his blaster.

"Here I go!" he shouted and stepped outside again. More blaster fire from the second floor of the house rained down, some of the shots striking the shield. But Kyle planted his feet, doing his best not to give ground against the impacts. At the same time, he raised his own weapon and began firing. The distance was not great, but as the blaster was made for shorter ranges, the first few shots struck the wall of the building, missing the Tusken entirely.

Gritting his teeth, Kyle struggled to adjust his aim, to focus the blaster's sights on the alien. He mashed the trigger hard, feeling the weapon buck in his hands. Suddenly, a low, guttural cry came from the house as the Tusken was hit. It fell out of sight. Face appearing as he peered around the edge of the tunnel exit, Gharnt called out.

"Did you get him?"

"I think so," Kyle said, taking a step forward, "we should…"

More laserfire struck the wall to his left. Looking to his right, the operative spotted two more Tuskens standing several feet away on the low wooden platform he had seen earlier.

"Get back!" he called to Gharnt.

Another series of shots came, a few striking the shield. Glancing at the indicator, Kyle saw he was in trouble as the power reading was down to 25%. He tried firing back with his blaster, but the distance was too great and the shots seemed to hit everywhere except where he wanted them to. Remembering the bowcaster, he pulled it out and worked to aim the weapon. Four more shots hit the shield and suddenly the power reading was down to 10%.

_I've got to do something or they'll nail me before I can nail them._

His right hand reached down almost automatically and pulled the lightsaber off his belt. Igniting the energy blade, Kyle did his best to deflect some of the incoming fire. He had practiced this aboard the _Intrepid_ using targeting drones and Rahn's guidance. But here, in this live fire situation, he was finding actually doing so more difficult that he had imagined.

_**Concentrate, **_Rahn suddenly spoke inside his head. _**The Force is not limited by physical ability. Open yourself to it and see what you can truly do.**_

It seemed like absolutely foolishness to try and seek the Force in this situation, but Kyle knew Rahn wouldn't have told him this unless it was possible. Feeling almost certain that he'd be cut down any second, the operative closed his eyes and reached out with his mind. Amazingly, he found himself staring at the rainbow of colors within seconds. He spoke the request with his mind, the desire, the need to help Gharnt and the Force answered.

Unbidden, Kyle's eyes opened and he saw he was back where he had been only seconds before. But something _had_ changed, he felt it. Somehow, as the laser fire from the Tuskens flew towards him, he knew where each bolt was going to go. Those that endangered him, he reached out with the saber and deflected. It was almost child's play. Even as his right hand continued to move the saber, across, up down, arcing to the left, then to the right, deflecting bolt after bolt, Kyle used his left hand to steady the bowcaster's sights. Designed to be a two handed weapon, it should have been extremely difficult, if not impossible, for the operative to do it.

Somehow he did.

Lining the sights up on the first Tusken, he reached for the secondary trigger and pulled it. The weapon bucked strongly, but the shot flew straight and true. As Kyle watched, the first Tusken was hit and fell. Moving the weapon to center on the second Tusken, he pulled the trigger. And again, a dart of green-white energy flew from the muzzle, seeking out and finding its target. With a loud cry, the second Tusken fell as well. Kyle stood there for a bit more, his mind confirming what his senses told him was true.

_**You see, **_Rahn said, _**you can do it.**_

_I _can _do it_, Kyle thought. _In fact, I just did._

He felt positively exhilarated and energized by Rahn's words.

_Maybe I _can _become a Jedi._

"What did you just do, boy?" shouted a voice close by. Looking in that direction, Kyle saw Gharnt walking towards him. The older man was wide-eyed.

"Huh?"

"What you just did…" the man repeated, "how did you…"

Suddenly, a scream came from the building.

"That's my wife!" Gharnt cried.

Kyle moved without thinking, racing towards the door, pausing only as long as it took the door to open enough for him to squeeze through. He ran up a set of stairs and, reaching the landing, looked around. Rooms were visible to either side. But as he looked to his right, Kyle saw a large table with chairs scattered about. Huddled in the far corner, a figure was visible, staring up at something. That something was a Tusken standing on the table, pointing a weapon at the trembling figure.

Sudden anger seized Kyle. It was bad enough that the Tuskens had tried to shoot him and harassed Gharnt, but attacking this woman, it was just too much. With a loud yell, he all but leapt into the room and stabbed out with the saber. The meter plus shaft of emerald energy sliced into the alien's back, the tip becoming visible as it pierced through the front of the Tusken's chest. It barely had time to utter a gurgled cry before it slumped, dropping its weapon. Kyle withdrew the saber and turned to look behind him for any more attackers. Instead, he found a wide-eyed woman staring at him with uncertain eyes.

"Are there any more?" the operative asked.

Just then, from his left, a Gran appeared through a second entrance to the room. It saw Kyle and raised its blaster. But a moment later, it too slumped lifeless to the ground as the operative swung the saber and decapitated the alien. Without bothering to ask if there were any more others, Kyle stepped into the room beyond and ran down a short hallway into another room at the far end. The furniture here had been tossed about, but there was no sign of any other attackers. A whimpering sound reached the operative's ears and he spied a small, huddled form under the bed. The boy glanced at him with wide and fearful eyes, tears running down both cheeks.

_No wonder, _Kyle thought, and then realized how his own entrance probably had frightened the child anew. Shutting off the saber, he smiled down at the boy.

"It's okay. You're safe."

The child continued to stare at him and then shook his head.

"I promise I won't hurt you," Kyle said, moving back a few steps, "I didn't mean to scare you."

The boy shook his head again, harder this time and then pointed one trembling hand. It took the operative a moment to realize it wasn't pointed at him, but elsewhere.

"Another one?" he asked.

The boy nodded.

"Stay here," the operative said, turning and running from the room. He was about halfway down the hallway when he noticed a doorway to his right with a staircase leading down. And there, climbing the stairs was another Tusken. A new wave of anger filled Kyle as he thought of the boy's face and imagined his terror. Seeing the man at the top of the stairs, the Tusken uttered its war cry and began firing. Instinct told Kyle he should duck out of the way, but he didn't.

_Worthless insect!_

Even as shots from the Tuskens' bowcaster hit all around him, the operative began to reach for his blaster, but stopped in mid motion and instead thrust the hand out, palm first towards the Tusken. It was a strange gesture that Kyle normally would have never done. But then an invisible force struck the alien, hurling it back and away. It fell down the stairs and landed in a pile on the landing below. It started to scramble to its feet, but Kyle was there, shoving his blaster into the Tusken's chest and squeezing the trigger. A scream rose from the alien as its body was torn apart. What was left crumpled to the ground in a smoking pile. Kyle found himself smiling at the remains.

_Such is the fate of all who oppose me._

In the next moment, the operative sensed the presence of more aliens nearby. Turning to the right and taking a few steps, he found himself in a narrow alleyway with a high gray wall to his left. To the right was a cobblestone path with a covered archway about halfway down. Sensing that the aliens were beyond the archway, the operative headed in that direction. Passing under the sandstone arch, he noticed he was nearing the end of the path. Beyond was the lake he had seen earlier. But then, a cacophony of sounds came from his right, the sound of Gran. And not just one, but several of them.

Turning that way, the operative saw a narrow doorway beyond which was a dimly lit room. Stepping closer, he saw movement inside. The feeling had been right. At least a half dozen Gran were milling about inside the room. And then, as the operative watched, one of them fired a punch at another. The other struck back, but missed, hitting another of the crowd. A bemused smile came to Kyle's face as he watched the whole scene dissolve into a melee, Gran against Gran. He wondered if the aliens would spot him and almost hoped they would. Deciding to see what would happen; he pulled out his blaster and stepped into the room, heading for the far wall so as to stay clear of the fight.

He was about a half dozen steps inside when one of the Gran _did_ notice the operative and bellowed loudly. However, the others ignored the cry, still engaged in fisticuffs. And so it was that the operative was able to raise his blaster at point it at the Gran. From somewhere behind the pack of aliens, a voice shouted.

"No blasters! No blasters!"

Ignoring it, Kyle depressed the trigger, dropping the first Gran with two shots. The others, hearing the weapons fire, began to turn in the operative's direction, but it was far too late. Still holding the trigger down, Kyle swept the muzzle of the weapon in a slow arc towards the group of Gran. Screams and cries filled the room as blaster fire sliced into flesh and one by one, the alien fell until they were no more left. Feeling a strange sort of satisfaction at what he had done, Kyle noticed he was able to see enough of the room now to determine what it was. Dressed similarly to Gharnt, a middle-aged man rose from the bar, where he had ducked during the attack. Standing up, bartender surveyed the carnage and scowled at Kyle.

"I wish you wouldn't shoot paying customers."

It sounded enough like a threat that Kyle pointed the blaster at the man. "You wanna make something of it?"

To his surprise, the bartender displayed no fear of the weapon. He made a dismissive gesture. "Put that thing away before you make us both sorry."

"Oh, I don't think I'm the one who'll be sorry," Kyle retorted.

"You will be when the Imps show up to investigate. Now get out of my bar before I decide to call them."

Kyle considered the situation. He felt certain he could drop the bartender with one shots, but was there really a need to? What threat was the man, really?

Still, he couldn't show weakness at this point. Making a show of putting his blaster away, Kyle changed directions with a single, fluid move and fired. The bartender's eyes went wide with surprise as the crimson bolt sliced into his chest. Seconds later, he fell, his body disappearing behind the bar.

_No!_

The blaster clattered to the ground as Kyle grabbed his head with both hands. Inside his mind, a war of wills was going on, the Kyle who was and the Kyle who might be struggling with each other.

"Get… out… of… my… head!"

**You stupid fool! You have access to a power greater than anything you could ever imagine and you refuse to use it? I will not let such a weak will determine my destiny!**

"My destiny… is my… own!" Kyle cried out, "no one… can decide… it for me!"

**Your strength is nothing compared to mine! Surrender to me, Kyle Katarn and I will show you the true power of the Force!**

"I have… a teacher. And he's… better… than you!"

Suddenly, light seemed to pour into his mind, a cleansing, comforting light that energized the operative.

**Blast you, Rahn! Leave here! This is our decision!**

_**No, **_Rahn said strongly, _**it is his, and no one else's. Now leave.**_

**I do so, for now. But only for now.**

And then, the presence inside Kyle's mind was gone. Dropping to his knees, the operative fell forward onto his hands, breathing raggedly, sweat dripping from his forehead.

_**Kyle?**_

_I'm… here, _the operative managed to answer, feeling tired and weak.

_**Are you all right?**_

_What… do you... think?_

_**I am sorry I could not assist you sooner, my friend. But you did well nonetheless.**_

_I… I murdered… that man._

_**Yes, you did. It is most regrettable, Kyle. But there is nothing to be done for him now. **_

Part of Kyle didn't want to admit this was true. But his common sense told him that Rahn was right. There _was_ nothing he could do for the bartender now.

_I've… got to… get out of here._

It took a strong effort, but Kyle was eventually able to rise to his feet. Finding the door, he moved towards it, doing his best not to look at pile of bodies as he retrieved his blaster rifle. Stepping outside, a warm breeze ruffled the operative's hair and seemed to caress his face. Stepping away from the bar, Kyle moved to where the archway was and settled against the wall, sliding down until he was sitting on the cobblestone path. The operative knew he needed to do something to distract himself so he wouldn't dwell on what had just happened. He decided to make an inventory of his equipment.

Minutes passed as he examined his gear. The blaster rifle's power pack was nearly exhausted. Ejecting it, he retrieved a fresh power pack from his belt and slammed it home. The shield was another matter. Its power indicator was firmly in the red, hovering at about 4%. Nodding to himself, Kyle knew he was going to have to find a recharging station soon or the next firefight he got in would likely result in his death. A shudder passed through him as he remembered what had just happened in bar.

_Focus on the gear, Kyle._

Pulling out the bowcaster, he saw its power pack was hovering around 75%, a little low but not enough to concern him for now. His comlink, holo emitter and other gear were all in good shape. With the inventory complete, the next thing the operative had to decide was where to go next. Staying here wasn't going to be a long term option.

Standing up seemed to take all of his strength and he had a strong urge to sit back down, but ignored it. Moving down the path towards where the bar was, Kyle spied the bridge he had seen earlier. Beyond it was a building with a circular opening of a lighter colored sandstone than the building next to it where there were two wide, rectangular shaped openings. Beyond them, Kyle could see another circular shaped opening in the right hand wall. He considered heading that direction, but without getting his shield repowered, it was a huge risk, one he wasn't willing to take.

Turning to look behind him, Kyle decided to go back and check on Gharnt and his family. He moved up the path back towards the house, mounting the staircase he had come down earlier. He was nearly to the top when the face of the boy he had seen earlier. Kyle raised a hand in greeting and was about to speak when the boy screamed.

"Papa! He's back!"

Bolting away, the boy disappeared from sight. Perplexed at the outburst, but nonetheless committed to continue, Kyle continued. He had just mounted the top of the stairs when Gharnt appeared, holding a large laser rifle.

"Just hold it right there, boy. Make one false move and I'll burn you down."

Feeling stunned at the sudden change in the older man, Kyle complied. His hands, held loosely at his sides were too far from his weapons. No matter how fast he moved, the older man would get off at least one shot and with his shield power as low as it was, attacking or defending wasn't an option. Still, as he considered the situation and what he had just been through, Kyle began to feel a sense of indignance.

"Hey, Gharnt! What are you doing? Put that thing away. It's me."

"Shut up! I don't know who you are, boy. You certainly ain't Morgan's kid."

"Yes I am!" Kyle protested, "And I'll have you know…"

The sound of a round being chambered into the rifle cut him off. The situation was becoming serious.

"I told you to shut up!"

Realizing that arguing with the older man was only going to exacerbate things, Kyle forced himself to relax.

"All right fine, I'm not moving, see?"

"Get your hands up!"

Kyle raised his hands.

"Now, _who _are you?"

"I told you before, I'm Kyle Ka…"

The rifle spoke and the wall near Kyle's head exploded as the round impacted, showering the operative with bits of permacrete. He cried out as one chunk sliced across his forehead, opening a shallow cut.

"The next one goes in you, boy! Now tell me who you are!"

For a moment, Kyle didn't know what to do to convince the older man of his identity. Then a thought came to him.

"Ask me something only the son of Morgan Katarn could know."

"What are you saying, boy?"

"Seriously," Kyle said, "ask me anything."

For a moment, it seemed as if the older man was going to say no, but then he nodded gruffly.

"All right then. What's the name of the droid your father built?"

"Wee Gee," Kyle said.

"And where did he get that name?"

The operative managed a smile as he remembered his father telling him the story.

"Weeg's heavy utility arm came off an old droid my father had by the name of WG-47X. Father used the initials to name him, W, G or Wee Gee."

Looking into the older man's face, Kyle could see a slight change. His answers had been dead on. Another idea came to him.

"I know a way to confirm what I've just told you."

"What's that?" Gharnt asked.

"Wee Gee came to Sulon with me. He's aboard my ship. If you'll let me use my comlink, I can contact him."

The older man glanced at him warily for several seconds, and then nodded. "All right, but take it out slow. Any false moves and you know what happens."

"I understand," Kyle said, reaching down with his left hand to where the comlink was clipped to his belt. Just behind it was a small holo-emitter. Moving with exaggerated care and slowness, he extracted both devices and activated them.

"Katarn to _Moldy Crow. _Come in, _Moldy Crow._"

There was burst of static from the tinny speaker, followed a moment later by a voice.

"Kyle? Is that you?"

"It's me, Jan."

"What's wrong?"

"It'll take too long to explain. Is Weeg there?"

"Well… yes, he is. But what's going on, Kyle? Are you okay?"

"Jan, I really can't talk now, can you put Weeg on?"

"Look, Katarn, if you're hurt, you'd better…"

"Jan, please, put Weeg on. It's a matter of life and death, namely mine."

There was no reply. The speaker crackled again.

_C'mon Jan, don't let me down._

And then, as if cued, a string of beeps came from the speaker.

"Weeg…. Weeg… slow down a little… Weeg… "

The beeps continued.

Losing patience, Kyle raised his voice.

"Weeg, shut up for a second and listen, all right?"

There was a pause followed by a single beep.

"All right then. Hang on a sec. I'm going to put you on with someone. Stand by."

He looked to Gharnt, presenting the holo-emitter. "I'm going to set this on the ground, okay?"

The older man nodded.

Crouching, Kyle placed the flat, rounded device on the ground, and then stood up.

"Weeg, can you access the _Crow_'s holographic system?"

An affirmative beep.

"Okay, stay on this frequency and downlink a signal to my holo-emitter."

The droid confirmed the instructions and a few seconds later, the lights on the emitter lit up as the incoming signal was received. An image formed of Wee Gee, about one-half as big as the real one.

"Can you see me, Weeg?"

The droid beep affirmatively.

"Mr. Gharnt, if you'll look at the image here, you can see the text reader Wee Gee is holding."

The older man leaned in to see it, and then nodded.

"Weeg, can you scan me and confirm my identity?"

"What?" the droid replied.

"I need you to scan me and confirm my identity, Weeg."

"You been drinking?" the droid asked.

"Weeg…"

"All right, all right. Stand by."

The droid's photoreceptor moved and focused. A minute passed.

"Scan complete. Identity confirmed. You are Kyle Katarn."

"Are you sure?" Gharnt asked.

Wee Gee's holo image turned to look at the older man.

"Who wants to know?"

"Baxel Gharnt."

Wee Gee paused for several seconds.

"I remember you. I see you still have that old Model X-9 rifle."

Looking baffled, Gharnt said nothing.

"How are your wife and son?"

"They're… they're fine. You really _are_ Wee Gee, aren't you?"

"The one and only," the droid replied.

"Convinced?" Kyle asked.

"Yes, I am," Gharnt said, lowering the rifle.

Turning to the holo image, the operative smiled. "Thanks, Weeg. You really saved my bacon this time. Listen, tell Jan I'll contact her in a short bit and explain everything."

"She won't like it," the droid answered.

"I _know_ she won't like it, but I can't deal with her right now."

"Okay," the droid said, "but if she shoots me, it's your fault."

"She won't shoot you, Weeg."

"You can't see her face right now," the droid said and signed off.

Reaching down to pick up the holo-emitter and returning it and the comlink to his belt, Kyle looked towards Gharnt, who had a regretful look on his face.

"Kyle… look… I'm…"

The operative held up a hand.

"It's okay. I'm just glad you didn't shoot me for real."

"It's just when I saw that lightsaber and all, I assumed you were one of them."

"One of them?" Kyle asked.

Just then, a voice called from somewhere behind the older man.

"Baxel? Are you all right? Did you take care of him?"

"It's all right, Alia!" Gharnt called back, "you and Govan can come out. It's safe."

Stepping out from a room further down the hallway from where the two men stood, a woman with short dark hair shot through with gray appeared, wearing a black and gray dress. There was a look of extreme concern on her face. Next to her, tightly clicking to the fabric of the dress was the boy Kyle had seen earlier.

Gharnt turned towards them. "It's all right, Alia. I was wrong about him. It's Morgan Katarn's boy after all."

"But Papa! He has a lightsaber!"

"It's all right, Govan. He's not a bad man."

Hoping to try and patch things up a little, Kyle smiled at the two.

"I'm really sorry for scaring everyone. Especially you, Govan. Are you okay?"

The boy seemed to shrink a bit, but managed a short nod.

"That's good," Kyle said, "I'm glad."

"Baxel," the woman said, "are you sure about this?"

"Alia, I spoke to Morgan's old droid, Wee Gee. He confirmed the boy's identity."

"I don't know…" the woman said, eyeing Kyle warily.

"Look," the operative said, "I didn't mean to cause such a disruption. When Mr. Gharnt told me you were in here and I heard the scream, I just reacted."

"And we're grateful for it," the older man said.

"He's got a lightsaber, Baxel," the woman said, still looking at Kyle distrustfully.

Deciding that he had to do something to try and earn her trust, the operative gestured towards his belt and spoke.

"Look, I know all this gear can look pretty scary, so how about this?"

Removing his blaster rifle, he lowered it to the floor, followed by his pistol, the bowcaster and finally, the lightsaber. Taking two steps back from the pile of weapons, Kyle gestured at them.

"That's everything. I'm unarmed now."

"Come Alia," Gharnt said, "the boy really is Morgan's kid. I'd stake my life on it."

And then, to everyone's surprise, the child stepped forward.

"Excuse me, mister?"

"Yes?"

"Can I touch it?"

It took the operative a minute to realize the boy was indicating the lightsaber.

"Govan!" the woman shouted, starting towards him.

"It's okay," Kyle said, gesturing at her before returning his attention to the child. "You can touch it if you want. But be _very_ careful, okay. Don't press any of the buttons on it."

Nodding, the boy stepped forward and reached out a tiny hand to the lightsaber, picking it up with great care. His eyes grew wide as he examined the cylinder, turning it over in his hands.

"Govan, be careful," the woman said.

"I am, Momma. I promise."

And then, moving with the same care as before, the boy set the saber back on the pile of weapons. His face came up, eyes meeting Kyle's. He smiled.

"Can you show me how it works?"

"Govan!"

Both men erupted with laughter, delighted in the simple curiosity of a child.

* * *

**Outside the city of Barons Hed**

**The cockpit of the **_**Moldy Crow**_

**Some Hours Later**

Jan shifted for the umpteenth time, sliding her legs until she sat crosswise in the pilot's couch. But after a few minutes, the awkward position became uncomfortable. Sitting back up, she tossed the datapad she was holding to the floor of the cockpit. Craning her neck, she looked towards where Wee Gee was positioned in the rear cockpit.

"Any signal yet?" she asked.

"For the two thousandth, one hundred and sixty-third time, no."

"Oh shut up," Jan said, frowning at the droid, "it hasn't been that many."

"Says you," the droid replied, earning another glare from her.

Turning back around, she retrieved the datapad from the cockpit floor. With a movement of her fingers, the next page of text came up. Jan had surprised herself by actually bringing a holo-novel along on this trip. It had initially provided a useful distraction. But now, after Kyle's cryptic message, trying to read was all but impossible.

She was about to ask the droid something else when it gave a whistle-beep. Jan looked and read the translation on the text reader.

"Patch him in," she said quickly, then realizing how desperate that sounded, countermanded herself. "Wait, hold on a sec." Settling herself in the pilot's couch, she gathered her hair, which she had allowed to fall across her face and shoulder into a quick braid, securing it with several combs. Taking a quick glance at her face in of the reflective parts of the instrument panel, she pronounced herself presentable.

"All right, Wee Gee, I'm ready."

For some unknown reason, the _Crow_ was equipped with a camera capable of transmitting holographic images, but had no mechanism to receive them. And so it was that Jan heard Kyle's voice come from the speakers.

"Jan, you there?"

"Yes, Katarn," she said with annoyance, "I'm here. I've been here ever since you called out of the blue like that. Can you finally tell me what's going on?"

"Yes, I can," the operative replied and proceeded to relay the first part of his mission to her, including meeting Baxel Gharnt and his family. He carefully left out what happened in the bar, not really to deal with or explain that situation yet. Jan listened, her face assuming different expressions as Kyle talked.

"So," he concluded, "the long and short of it is, I've got a place to stay tonight. Tomorrow morning, I'll try and get deeper into the city."

"You're sure you can trust this Gharnt character?" Jan asked.

"Funny you should ask. His wife wanted to know the same thing about _me_."

"And?"

"Yes, Jan," he said with an exaggerated sigh, "I can trust him."

"All right then. And what's your status?"

"Okay for the most part. Gharnt has a recharging station that I replenish my shield from. The bowcaster is at about 75% power, but I've got two spare power packs for it in case I need them later."

"Any sign of the Imperials?"

"None yet, but _someone_ had to dispatch all these Gran and Tuskens here, Jan. There's just been too many to be mercs or pirates."

"Do you want some backup?"

"Not yet," Kyle said, "but stay ready. How's things going with you and Weeg?"

"Fine," she answered.

"Just that? Fine?"

"Yes."

"Okay then. Well, I think we've covered everything for now. I'll contact you again before I head out tomorrow."

"All right."

"Good night, Jan."

"Good night, Kyle."

As the channel disconnected, a wave of emotion swept over her. Despite what she dealing with personally, Jan realized that she didn't care to be alone right now. She wished Kyle was here with her or she with him. A moment later, her logical mind reasserted itself and chided her for such silly and foolish thoughts. It told her Kyle was a well trained and equipped operative capable of handling this mission. Her job right now was to stand by and be ready to support him.

Still, even as the planetary night encircled the ship and Jan closed the cockpit to stay warm, she felt an impulse to contact Kyle, even though she had no idea what she would say to him. Reaching for the instrument panel, she dimmed the cockpit lights.

"Wee Gee?"

The droid beeped.

"I'm going to sleep. See you in the morning."

The droid tweetled something at her, but Jan didn't feel like turning round to see what it was. Instead, she settled down in the couch and closed her eyes.

_Be careful, Kyle._


	21. Chapter 21: Battle in the City Part 1

**Kyle Katarn: The Rise & Fall **

**Book 2: Birth of a Jedi **

**Chapter 21: Battle in the City Part 1

* * *

**

A/N: Hey there everyone. Sorry about the lack of a new chapter this past Thursday. A most unexpected and unwelcome has occurred in my life. My mom was diagnosed with breast cancer from her latest mammogram. She had surgery to remove the carcinoma this past Friday and so far everything is going well. God willing it will continue to be so. But needless to say, I haven't exactly been focused on writing lately. However, she's doing okay and is tired of me hovering over her, so back to the keyboard I come to bring the latest chapter to you. The chapter actually isn't complete yet because I have a question for you, my readers and reviewers. But before we get to that, let's do them shout outs!

Tinuviel Undomiel: Yeah, they are like a couple of squabbling kids sometimes! But that's one of the things that makes them fun. Glad you enjoyed your present and I love your idea for the Kyle Katarn drinking game. Good idea not using booze though. I played the game Pass Out once years ago and didn't make it past the first round. I'm not too sure what Jan's malfunction is yet either, but it'll work out. That whole scene with the bartender was designed to show the danger of the Dark Side. And it seems like it worked well! Oh yes, more trouble is coming, you'll see!

Nerwen Aldarion: It was my pleasure! Thanks for letting me do it! Yep, the mission is in full swing and the combat is gonna come hot and heavy! You make a good point about Jan seeming cold 'cause she's focused on the mission, but I think there's more to it. We'll see. I like your Rise and Fall drinking game, may have to try it with some of my other friends! Yeah, ol' Kyle got knocked around a bit. But he always gives as good as he gets! Yeah, the bartender scene came to me as I was writing it to take it real Dark Side. Pretty grim I know, but it shows the danger of the Dark side in spades! Weeg and Jan are fun together, I'm gonna have to come up with a new scene with those two! The mental war between Kyle and Jerec is not over by a long shot. But a win by Jerec? Maybe…

Enaek: Greetings to you, my latest reviewer! Thank you for taking the time to leave me a review and thank you very much for the wonderful praise! I truly appreciate it! As for a Star Wars fiction site, I'll see what I can dig up.

Manus Dei: Truth be told, I wasn't going to write that scene like that initially, but I thought it provided a good picture of the danger of the Dark Side. Like Yoda said, easier, quicker, more seductive. Oh, Jerec and Kyle got a showdown coming, definitely! Kyle will have to tell Jan about his powers eventually. As for when, I dunno yet. Wee Gee is becoming quite the character, kinda like a wiseass R2D2.

A/N: Okay then, to what I alluded to earlier. Once you finish this chapter, I'd like a vote (of sorts) of how Kyle is going to handle this latest battle. Will he stay Light Side or go Dark Side? Either leave me a review or a message about it, please and I'll take it from there. And with that, please enjoy Chapter 21!

A/N 12-10-2009: The chapter is finally complete! Thanks to everyone for your advice on Dark Kyle vs. Light Kyle. I hope you'll like what I did here. Please let me know!

* * *

**The Planet Sulon**

**Home of Baxel, Alia and Gavon Gharnt**

**That evening**

After finally convincing Baxel's wife that he was no threat to them, Kyle had received a bit of a surprise when the woman frowned at the pile of weapons, then looked to him.

"Well, just don't stand there, young man. Clean up that mess and put it somewhere."

"Yes ma'am," Kyle said, gathering his weapons and putting them in a storage closet Gharnt provided. The operative was surprised to see that the sun was already beginning to set, drawing long shadows outside. After having overcome his initial fear of Kyle, the young Govan had all but attached himself to the operative's side, plying him with questions. Both Baxel and Alia had apologized for their son's behavior and offered to take him so Kyle could have a break, but the operative waved both requests away. Govan's seemingly boundless energy was rather stimulating and Kyle did his best to answer each one of the boy's questions. Evening was drawing on when Govan asked once again if Kyle would show him how the lightsaber worked.

"I think you'd better ask your mother."

The boy took off at a run, calling for her.

_She's probably going to say no. I hope the kid isn't too disappointed._

But when he returned, the boy wore a smile rather than a frown.

"Momma says it's okay as long as we go out back and don't stay for too long."

"Are you sure?" he asked the child, a hint of suspicion in his tone.

"Uh-huh," the boy said, nodding vigorously.

Kyle shrugged. "All right, let's go."

With Govan in the lead, the pair moved down the back staircase to cobblestone area that formed the back yard of the house. Unhooking the lightsaber from his belt, Kyle knelt down and held the device out so the boy could touch it.

"Okay, now place your hand right here."

He guided the boy in placing his right thumb on the activation stud.

"Good, now when I tell you, press the button."

"Okay," Govan said gravely, his body practically quivering with anticipation.

"Now."

The boy pressed the button and with the distinctive _snap-hiss_, the emerald green beam shone forth.

"Oh, wow!" Govan said; eyes wide with wonder.

"Now, you need to be careful," Kyle explained, "the beam is pure energy and will cut through anything."

"Anything?" the boy parroted."

Kyle nodded.

"Can I try holding it?"

"I don't know, Govan, it's…"

"Pleeeeeasssseeee?"

Looking down into the expectant face, Kyle couldn't help but chuckle.

"All right, but be _very_ careful."

"I will," the boy said quickly.

Moving carefully, Kyle guided the boy's left hand to a spot on the hilt where he could support it in concert with his right hand.

"Okay, you ready?"

The boy nodded vigorously.

Kyle let go, but stayed ready to grab the hilt in case the boy couldn't handle it. But the boy seemed okay, holding the beam in a firm grip.

"I'm doing it," he whispered.

"You sure are," Kyle said, "nice job."

Just then, a voice called out from the house.

"Govan! Where are you?"

"Right here, Momma!"

"It's time for dinner!"

"I'm coming!"

Kyle was about to reach for the saber when the boy pressed a button on the hilt.

_Oh no._

But to his surprise, the child pressed the power stud, causing the saber blade to retract and extinguish; the emerald glow fading. Govan looked up at him.

"Did… I do that right?"

Kyle's smile was broad and genuine. "You sure did. Now c'mon, we don't want to keep your mom waiting."

Reluctantly handing the saber over, the boy turned towards the house and raced up the stairs, calling loudly.

"Momma! Papa! Guess what I just did?!"

At the bottom of the stairs, Kyle closed his eyes and shook his head.

_Sithspit. I'm in for it now._

As it turned out, Alia Gharnt _was _upset with Kyle, but more so at her son for telling only that he and the operative were going outside to play. Apologies were exchanged and discipline administered to the child before all sat down to dinner. Having not had a home cooked meal in many years, Kyle enjoyed it thoroughly, offering effusive praise until the final morsel was consumed. Pushing back from the table, the operative patted his belly.

"_That_ was good," he said.

"Well, I'm glad you enjoyed," said Alia, beginning to gather the dishes.

"I can help," Kyle offered.

"You just sit right there," the woman replied, "I already have help. Govan."

Kyle had to mask a smile at the boy's expression. It didn't seem that Govan _wanted_ to help, but he dutifully rose from the table and followed his mother into the kitchen, carrying his share of tableware. Baxel saw the merriment in the operative's eyes, a smile coming to his face as well.

"He's quite a kid."

"You're telling me," said Kyle.

Pushing his chair back, Gharnt rose from his chair. From somewhere inside his robes, he withdrew a long, thin tube.

"You want one?"

Recognizing the item as a cogaro, a papery tube with a mixture of grass and weed inside, Kyle thought back to the time he had tried one and coughed so much he thought he'd throw up his feet.

"No thanks," he said, shaking his head.

Gharnt nodded. "Join me outside then?"

The tone in the older man's voice told the operative that Gharnt wanted to discuss something with him.

"Sure," Kyle said, rising to his feet.

Moving out of the small dining area, Gharnt led the operative to a small wooden porch that extended out on one side of the house. Lighting the cogaro, the older man took a few puffs off the tube before speaking again.

"Can I ask you something?"

"I suppose," Kyle replied.

"Where'd you get that lightsaber?"

The operative paused before answering. "Some reason you want to know?"

"When I saw it earlier," Gharnt said, "I thought you were one of those others."

"What others?" Kyle asked.

"Why do _you_ want to know?"

"Touché. Okay, I'll answer your question first. My lightsaber used to belong to a Jedi named Rahn. He also knew my father and gave it to him for safekeeping some time after I had left to go to the Imperial Academy."

"You went to the Academy?" Gharnt asked.

Kyle nodded, and then shook his head. "I was a good little Imperial, until the day I found my father had been killed by the very Empire I was becoming part of."

"I heard about what happened to Morgan," Gharnt said, sadness in his voice, "I'm sorry."

"Thank you," Kyle said, pausing as a wave of emotion ran through him, "when I came back here, I found Wee Gee and the lightsaber."

"A Jedi," Gharnt said, "so they really did exist."

Kyle nodded. "A long time, but yes, they did."

"So what are you now, boy? A Jedi?"

The operative laughed. "Far from it. Right now, I'm just a guy with a lightsaber."

"Is that right?"

"Your turn," Kyle said, "who are these others?"

Gharnt gave him a look and then nodded.

"They came through here about a month ago, three of them, all of 'em in these long, black cloaks even though it was a hot day. I remember one in particular. He looked like he was blind, had this strip of cloth across his eyes. But it was like he could see anyway."

_Jerec_, Kyle thought.

"There was a woman with him and a younger man."

"Did they want something?"

Gharnt shrugged. "They came to the main marketplace and examined some of the shops. The next thing I knew, the woman got into an argument with the owner of one of the food stands, Hunex Vandan, something about the price. Vandan wouldn't back down no matter what she said."

* * *

"It's a fair price, I tell you!"

"Fair price? For this trash? You must be joking."

"Well, I'm not, young lady. That's the price."

"Do you have any idea who I am?"

"No, young lady, I don't. And truthfully, I don't much care. Either pay what I ask or leave me alone. I don't have any more time to waste with y…"

The man's voice cut off as the woman extended a hand towards him. Vandan reached both hands to his throat, suddenly unable to breathe.

"You insignificant worm," she said, "You would speak so crassly to a Dark Jedi?"

Sariss pushed out with both her hands, sending her cloak billowing behind her and exposing her lightsaber. She with the metal cylinder and with a _snap-hiss;_ activated it. The energy blade came to life, its deep crimson hue reflecting against Sariss' black clothes.

Releasing her Force Grip on the man, she swung with the saber. It made a thrumming sound as it cut the air and sliced through Vandan's neck with the same ease. As the body fell, Sariss turned to look at the rest of the people in the marketplace. Raising the saber in a menacing way, she smiled evilly at them. There was a long pause as everyone's attention was drawn to the Dark Jedi, and then each person found somewhere else to look.

"Pathetic cowards," Sariss said as she closed down her saber.

* * *

"The guy with the black cloth on his face stepped over to her and said something. And then they left."

Kyle shook his head, feeling almost sick at what Gharnt had told him. "And when you saw my lightsaber…"

"I assumed you were one of them," the older man finished.

"It makes sense now," the operative said.

"Well, that's done," said Gharnt, "what I'd like to know now is; what are you going to do next?"

"Finish my mission," Kyle said simply.

"And that is?"

"It's like I said before, Mr. Gharnt. You're better off not knowing."

"You don't trust me?"

"Just the opposite," said Kyle, "I don't want anything to happen to you or your family because of me."

"You're _that_ worried?"

"Given the people I'm dealing with, yes."

"Well, I won't push you," Gharnt said, "but if there's anything we can do…"

"You've already done it," Kyle said, smiling at the older man.

"Well then," Gharnt said, dropping the remains of his cogaro to the deck and crushing it under his foot, "I suppose that's it. Let's head in."

"Okay."

At Govan's pleading insistence, Kyle slept in the boy's room, answering another battery of questions until the child fell asleep in mid-inquiry. The operative watched him sleep for a few minutes, and then stretched himself out on the bedding Alia had provided. Certain that he wouldn't be able to sleep much in a strange place; he dropped off to sleep within minutes.

* * *

**The Planet Sulon**

**Home of Baxel, Alia and Gavon Gharnt**

**The next morning**

The sun was bathing the whole room in soft, warm light when Kyle's eyes opened. At first, he didn't recognize where he was and sat up quickly. The strength of the morning light was sufficient enough that he had to shade his eyes against it. Standing up, he glanced around the room, and remembered coming here yesterday. Turning to his left, he saw Govan, huddled deep inside his bedcovers, breathing softly. Gathering his clothes and shoes, the operative crept out of the room so as not to wake the boy.

After getting dressed, Kyle went to the compartment where his weapons were and took them. A check of shield power display confirmed it as 100%.

_Well, that oughta be everything._

The house was still quiet and the operative assumed Baxel and Alia were still asleep. Moving as quietly as he could, Kyle headed for the back stairs, stopping long enough to leave a note thanking the family once more for their hospitality. A part of him hoped he might see them again, but nothing was certain and he was determined to not endanger the Gharnts. Moving with careful steps, he crept down the back stairs and moved down the path that led him towards the bridge over the water. Crossing it, Kyle looked down it the flowing water. It was so clear one could see all the way to the bottom.

And that's when he noticed them. At first, they looked like two amorphous blotches of red matter under the water. But then, one of them moved, startling the operative.

_What in space is that?_

Standing there, he looked as one of the red forms twisted and turned in the water. A wide, lipless mouth opened and closed. As the beast moved, Kyle could see just how large it really was.

_Okay, note to self. Do not fall in the water here._

Dragging his eyes away from the strange, red creatures, Kyle continued across the bridge until he stood on the cobblestone patio in front of the buildings he had seen yesterday. He was faced with a choice of where to go next. To his left was the lighter-colored building with the dome shaped opening. In front of him were the two boxed-shaped openings and beyond then, a more angular opening in the right hand wall.

Unsure of which way to go, Kyle decided to employ a trick from his youth. Taking the lightsaber from his belt, he set the cylinder on the ground so that the emitter end pointed up towards the sky. Letting go, he watched as the lightsaber hilt leaned over and fell, pointing towards the opening in front of him. Reattaching the weapon to his belt, the operative headed that way. It was a bit dim inside the corridor he entered and after a short distance; it branched into a T-intersection. Kyle was about to try his trick again when he looked to his left and saw two Tuskens at the end of the corridor. Their backs were to him and so far, they didn't seem to realize someone else was there. The operative smiled as a devilish and risky idea came to his mind. Pulling his blaster out, he aimed it at the two aliens before calling out.

"'Mornin' fellas!"

The Tuskens visibly jerked at the loud voice. They both began to jabber excitedly as they turned and saw Kyle. One of them began to utter a war cry, but never finished it as a crimson bolt from the blaster pierced his chest. Two more shots took down the second Tusken.

_Well, that was easy, _Kyle thought as he gathered the power packs from their weapons. Then, on an impulse, he turned round and moved down the opposite. He followed it through a right hand turn, followed by a left and then was back outside. To his left was a low ramp leading upwards. Kyle began to move up it when he heard a voice call loudly.

"Leave us alone!"

"We've done nothing wrong!"

"Don't hurt me!"

It was as clear an indication as any that an enemy was near, perhaps more than one. Crouching down, Kyle continued to move up the ramp, but slowly, eyes searching. His head had just cleared the lip of the upper area when he saw the cause of the loud cries. A short distance away were two large, partly enclosed stands constructed of a dark wood. The operative could see at least four people, two behind their respective counters facing out. Their expressions, even from where Kyle was, were clearly frightened.

The reason for their fearful looks became visible a second later as the operative took another step and spotted a Gran standing near one of the wooden counters. It was saying something to one of the persons behind the counter and gesturing with its hands.

"Leave me alone!"

Creeping closer to the stands, Kyle was able to make out the faces now. Both the counter people were women as was one of what he supposed was a customer. The remaining person was a man wearing a peaked hat like Gharnt's along with an oversize robe. Kyle gritted his teeth together as an angry look came on his face. One of the things he positively couldn't stand was bullies like this, human or otherwise. Gripping his blaster with two hands, he leveled it on the back of the Gran's head.

"Look out!" the woman suddenly cried, having seen the operative.

Startled by the sudden outburst, the Gran turned around to see what had caused it. It called something in its language and before Kyle could get off a shot, lobbed a silvery orb at him.

_Detonator!_

Although the operative knew he could still hit the Gran, the thermal detonator it had thrown was heading right for him. If he didn't do something…

A sudden, impulsive idea came to him and on the heels of it the thought, _it'll never work_.

Raising his blaster, Kyle pointed it at the silvery orb flying at him and fired. The first shot missed, but the second struck, slicing into the detonator. It went off a heartbeat later. The operative reflexively closed his eyes against the blinding flash. The shield protected him from the blast fragments, but the concussive force of the explosion could _not_ be avoided. Kyle was hurled back, hitting the stone wall behind him and bouncing off. He cried out in pain, the blaster knocked from his hand, and gritted his teeth together as he fell to the ground and rolled down the ramp until he fetched up against the wall at the bottom.

Battle instincts warned the operative that his attacker would be coming, that he needed to be prepared for the attack. Hitting the wall had driven the breath from his body. And now, just drawing breath hurt, much less trying to move. He managed to roll onto his side enough that he could see through slitted eyes towards the top of the ramp. No one was visible yet, but Kyle felt certain the enemy was coming. He willed himself to move, but the pain was so intense. A moment later, he detected movement from somewhere in front of him, and felt certain it was the Gran. But at the moment, he was helpless to do much of anything.

The three-eyed alien stepped towards the motionless body, approaching cautiously. It held another thermal detonator in its right hand, but knew all too well the weapon was too dangerous to use at close range. It also considered reporting in about this intruder. Before being deployed to this place, the leader had told the entire group to check in if the populace of the town put up any resistance.

Still, the Gran felt very confident it had this situation well in hand. Its quarry was wounded, perhaps dead. All that was left was to confirm this. It was perhaps a half dozen steps away when there was movement from the body. The alien started to back away and got ready to throw the detonator when it heard a footstep from behind. It started to turn.

The sound of a blaster firing reached Kyle's ears. Expecting any moment to feel the impact, he let himself relax, knowing there was nothing he could do. A second passed, two, then three, then several more. The operative realized he hadn't felt anything beyond the pain he already felt. Just then, a voice called out.

"Stay there! We're coming!"

Kyle heard the sound of footsteps, rapidly approaching where he lay. A shadow fell over him.

He looked up into a concerned face.

"Are you all right?"

A second face appeared next to the second.

"Of course he isn't all right, Vendon! You saw what happened to him!"

The first person turned to the second.

"I was just asking!"

The second person shook her head, and then turned to her side. When her eyes met Kyle's once again, she held what looked like a syringe.

"Hold still," she said, "this won't hurt a bit."

Unsure, but unable at the moment to stop her, Kyle watched as the tip of the needle touched his the skin of his arm and penetrated inside. A dark-colored liquid inside the syringe was injected and the needle withdrawn as efficiently as it had been inserted.

"There," the woman said, "now just give that a minute or so. You'll feel better soon."

Turning to her side again, the woman reached down and out of sight. The sound of sloshing water reached the operative's ears. A moment later, the woman turned back to him, raising a dampened cloth. Kyle felt the blissfully cool touch on his skin. It seemed to penetrate through the fog in his mind and left him feeling more aware. Managing to open his eyes a bit wider, he was able to discern the faces in front of him with greater clarity.

It was a man and a woman, the man dressed very much as Gharnt was, although his beard was a nearly uniform brown. The woman next to him was also young, black hair piled atop her head. She removed the cloth from Kyle's face and dipped it into the bucket at her side.

"Can you move?" she asked.

Though his back still hurt, Kyle felt his strength beginning to return.

"I think so," he said, placing his hands on the ground.

"Here, let me help," said the man, reaching to help the operative sit up. The effort made Kyle hiss in pain briefly.

"Sorry," the man said.

"It's okay."

The woman reached out again with the damp cloth. "Hold still."

Again he felt the cool touch. The woman carefully dabbed and wiped around his face.

"Thank you."

"You're welcome," she said, smiling at him, "actually, I should be thanking _you_."

At the operative's curious look, she nodded before continuing.

"That… that thing has been harassing us for two days now. Today, he was about to force us to turn over our supplies when you showed up."

"Yeah," the man echoed, "you really helped us out."

Kyle processed this, but wasn't sure what to say. He also remembered that he was in the middle of a mission. Reaching down to the ground again, he began to push off.

"You shouldn't get up," the woman cautioned, "that injection will help, but you shouldn't push it."

"I'm all right," Kyle muttered as he continued to exert himself. The man reached out again and assisted the operative to his feet.

"Thanks."

"Sure," the man said, nodding at him.

Gaining his feet, Kyle surveyed the space in front of him. Ahead was the ramp he had just fallen down. And about halfway down the ramp…

The operative instinctively reached for his blaster, but found the holster empty. It was then he remembered losing the blaster earlier.

"It's all right," the woman, reading his expression, "It's dead. Vendon shot it."

The man held out a hand, offering the operative his blaster. "You dropped this. When I saw that thing moving towards you, I grabbed it. I never fired one of these before."

Kyle took the weapon from the man called Vendon. "Seems you did okay. Thanks for helping me."

"You _helped_ us first," Vendon said.

Kyle smiled at the pair. "Glad I could help. And I don't mean to seem ungrateful, but I need to go."

The woman's smile disappeared and was replaced with a frown. "You're hurt. You shouldn't be moving so soon."

"Thanks, but I really have to go."

"At least give the medicine a few more minutes to work," she entreated.

"You ought to listen to her," Vendon said, "and anyways, what's so important that you have to push things?"

Kyle hesitated to answer. "I really can't say. But I do have to go."

The man and the woman exchanged looks, and then she spoke.

"Code X one five Alpha seven six?"

Kyle felt shocked even as his mind recognized the code phrase.

"Code Delta six three Gamma eight one?" he responded.

The man and woman looked to each other again. They smiled at each other and then at Kyle.

"Confirmed," she said. "I understand you have to go. But wait here one moment. Turning round, she hurried up the ramp and out of sight. Less than a minute passed before she returned carrying an armful of packages. She held them out to Kyle.

"What are these?" he asked.

"Medical packs," she explained, "they'll help with any injuries you suffer on the way. Good luck on your mission."

Now, the operative began to understand. These two must be part of the intelligence network Tinuviel and Nerwen had told him about.

"Thank you," he said sincerely.

"You're welcome," Vendon said, "We both wish you safety and success on your mission."

Feeling positively filled with good feelings, Kyle placed the medpacs in a pouch on his belt. The one the woman had used on him had already taken affect, leaving the operative feeling far better than he had moments ago.

"Before you go," the woman said, "just beyond this area is the local marketplace. We've seen more of these aliens there as well."

Kyle nodded and, turning round, heading back through the doorway he had come through. Another corridor led him outside and after a short walk, he found the marketplace. It was a large A- frame building open in the middle. Drawing closer, the operative could see a series of counters bordered by walls on either side. With the warning fresh in mind, he moved to one side of the building, near the low stairs leading inside. With slow, careful steps, he edged towards the opening. His blaster was out and ready. He was just about to step inside when there was the flicker of movement in his peripheral vision.

Turning that way, Kyle saw a Gran move into view behind the counter, raising its own blaster at the operative.

_Not this time._

He mashed the trigger, sending darts of red energy towards the alien. It let out a cry as it was struck and fell to the ground, dead. The operative was moving towards the spot where it fell when he felt a sense of danger from somewhere behind him. Pivoting on his heel, he began to spin around, feeling almost certain that he'd be too late. And even as he completed the turn, the operative could see another Gran leveling a blaster at him. It fired, crimson bolts arcing out. Kyle braced himself against the blaster fire, but an instant later, he heard a sound he didn't expect.

Somehow, in the midst of the spin, he'd managed to draw and activate the lightsaber. The emerald blade had deflected the incoming fire away. With a mixture of surprise and pleasure, Kyle looked towards the Gran, who seemed equally surprised at the appearance of the saber. The operative took advantage and fired. The Gran cried out and fell. Moving towards the opposite booth, Kyle made sure the Gran was dead before turning back towards the other booths. Keeping the saber activated, he edged towards the next one, ready to fire should an enemy appear. Instead, he found a wide-eyed shopkeeper, who stared at him in surprise and fear. Next to him was a woman that the man quickly moved in front of.

"Leave us be," he said, going for defiance, but not quite achieving it.

Realizing the man thought he was the enemy, Kyle deactivated the lightsaber and holstered his blaster. "It's okay," the operative said, holding up both hands, "I'm one of the good guys. Are there any more of the Gran around?"

The man glanced at him suspiciously, but lifted a hand and pointed outside the space to an area out of sight.

"Thanks," Kyle said, heading that way. Moving out of the A-frame structure, the operative faced a sandstone wall preventing further forward progress. Looking to his right, he noticed a permacrete wall and beyond it, a colored drape secured to the wall with two wooden posts holding it up at the other end. Something inside Kyle told him to go this way. As he approached, the angry voice of a woman was audible.

"Leave me alone," she said, "I know nothing."

In response, he heard the guttural speech of what sounded like two Gran.

"Leave us in peace," the woman said.

He shook his head. Bad enough it was two on one, but against a woman? Chivalry wasn't something the Imperial Academy respected, in fact just the opposite, but Kyle's mother and later his father, had drilled into him respect for women. With this in mind, he approached the colored drape, finding it shading the entrance to a structure, the door a weathered-looking wood. From behind it, he heard the Gran speak again.

"I don't know _anything_!" the woman protested loudly.

She sounded desperate, he needed to act, and soon. The question was, how? His blaster and bowcaster were too dangerous, a ricochet or missed shot could hit the woman. That left only one option. Finding an access panel, Kyle pressed a button and the door obediently slid aside, reaching to activate his shield a moment later. Before him was a wooden floor that led to a low counter similar to the one he had just seen. Floor to ceiling shelves covered the right side, with a stone wall to the left. And standing before him were the two Gran, and visible just beyond them was the frightened and harried looking woman.

Having heard the door slide open, the aliens began to turn his way, one reaching for its belt. Darting forward, Kyle activated the saber even as he was drawing it. A spectacular flash of green flared in the space as the saber cut up and across. One of the Gran screamed as its arm was neatly severed at the shoulder, the cry cut off as the blade continued its path through the alien's neck. The second Gran had just finished removing a thermal detonator and arming it when Kyle stabbed it through the chest. The skewered body fell back, smacking into counter as the lifeless hand let go of the detonator. The woman stared at it in utter horror.

"Look out!" Kyle cried, leaping forward. One hand reached down to boost him as he vaulted the counter and came to rest right next to her. Grabbing the woman bodily, he pulled her away and then dropped both of them to the floor, covering her with his own body as the detonator exploded. The sound was deafening in the enclosed space. Smoke billowed, as chips of the stone wall flew overhead, some hitting the shield. The power indicator dipped, dropping to 40% before the debris settled and the operative deemed it safe to move. He looked down to see the woman gazing up at him with an expression of fear and anger. It occurred to the operative how she might be taking what he had done. He quickly rose and stepped away.

"I'm sorry," he said, "I wasn't trying to…"

"It's all right," she said, sitting up slowly. Her expression showed suspicion, rather than fear.

"Let me help," the operative said, moving forward and extending a hand. But the woman didn't take it.

"Who are you?" she asked.

"No one really," Kyle said, "I was passing by and overheard. Thought I could help."

"Uh-huh," the woman said, clearly not believing him, "and you just happened to be armed, too."

"Well, yeah," Kyle replied.

The woman looked strongly at him, and then shook her head.

"Code X one five Alpha seven six?" she said.

Feeling caught in the crosshairs, the utterance of the code phrase brought it with it some relief.

"Code Delta six three Gamma eight one," he said.

The woman nodded and took the proffered hand, allowing Kyle to pull her to her feet. "So you're the agent Tinuviel and Nerwen mentioned."

Kyle hesitated. Although the mention of the names of New Republic's co-heads of Intelligence seemed to indicate this might be the contact the twins had mentioned, something wasn't right.

"I might be," he said, "but you're not what or should I say who I expected."

The woman nodded, suddenly looking sad. "You mean my father, Annix Uven."

_That's the name I was given, _Kyle thought.

"He's gone. He died last week."

Feeling a mixture of sympathy and suspicion, Kyle queried the woman.

"A message was received from him ten days ago."

The woman nodded, her eyes shining. "He went to bed that night. The next morning, he wouldn't… I tried waking him… but…"

Tears began to leak from her eyes, making the operative's heart hurt. Still, he had to know.

"Look, I don't mean to add to your pain. But I need to…"

With hands trembling slightly, the woman drew a piece of flimsiplast from a pocket of her dress and held it out. Kyle took it and felt a surge of guilt and sympathetic pain. What he held was an Imperial death notice and among its contents, was an image of the dead man's face. Wordlessly, he handed it back to the woman, mind scrambling for something to say.

"I…look…I'm sorry. I didn't mean to…"

Silence descended in the room as his voice trailed off. Several seconds passed before the operative found his voice again.

"My name is Kyle Katarn. I'm here on a mission. "

The woman looked up at him through tear-streaked eyes. "Trenna Uven."

"Ms. Uven, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to…"

She waved his apology away. "My father would have done the same. He told me again and again that we couldn't be too careful."

Wiping at her eyes, the woman drew herself up and took a deep breath. It was the first chance Kyle really had to examine her. She was shorter than he, maybe 5'5" or so and appeared to be not much older. Auburn hair cut short framed her careworn face with a delicate looking nose, smallish mouth and hazel eyes.

Kyle decided to try changing the subject. "In the last communiqué we received, you… sorry, I meant your father indicated he wanted a personal visit.

Trenna nodded. "When he learned an agent was being dispatched here, he got together everything we've managed to 'acquire' from the Imperials and make sure it was ready in case it was needed."

Eyes roving the shelves behind the woman, the operative didn't see much in the ways of supplies or arms.

"Not there," Trenna said, "it's in a secret compartment located…"

She began to point, and then chuckled a bit.

"Well, it _was_ hidden."

Kyle looked in the indicated direction and saw where the detonator the Gran had dropped had blasted a hole in the wall. He pointed, looking over his shoulder at Trenna.

"In there?"

She nodded. "Help yourself."

Unsure, but curious, Kyle moved to the hole, crouching to pass inside. No sooner had he straightened up than his eyes went wide. Before him lay what could only be called a weapons cache. A least a dozen blasters, three bowcasters and a bevy of power packs. There was also a weapon he didn't recognize at first. With a roughly triangular body, a set of gold and gray metal tubes were visible on either side leading to a metal mesh cover, enclosing a trio of barrels. Two triggers were visible, one on top of the other. The almost squat device was made somewhat larger with the addition of a dark metal stock extending out from the trigger guard. Kyle hefted the weapon, finding it to be solid, but with all its forward bulk, not heavy. The stock fit neatly across his arm, coming to rest against his shoulder.

_Should make it stable when being fired, _he thought.

Taking this new weapon, Kyle moved about the room, tempted to take the rest, but having no way to carry it all. He settled for recharging his weapons and shield and was about to exit the room when he noticed a vest with yellow striping across the chest. Taking it, he emerged from the space. Trenna was waiting outside and noticed the grin on the operative's face.

"Did you find everything you were looking for, sir?" she asked.

"I'll say!" Kyle replied, "But I was wondering, do you know what these are?" He indicated the weapon and vest."

She nodded. "I don't know much about the rifle. Father said it was some new kind of repeating blaster. He stole it off a cargo ship he and I help to unload last month."

"Right off an Imperial cargo ship?" Kyle echoed; eyes wide in admiration and surprise, "your Father is pretty good."

"He was," she said, pausing for a deep breath, "as for the vest, it's supposed to be some kind of shield enhancer. But we never got a chance to test it or anything since we didn't have access to a shield."

"Okay if I take it?"

Trenna nodded. "Father told me everything in that room was to be at your disposal."

Examining the vest, Kyle found the clasp attachment holding it closed. Opening it, he put his arms through the sleeve holes and adjusted it across his back and shoulder before using the same attachment to close it up. The vest was a bit snug, but otherwise comfortable. He looked at Trenna.

"Well, that's about it for me. I'd better move on."

"You don't need anything else?" she asked.

Kyle shook his head and then something new occurred to him.

"Ms. Uven…" he began.

"Trenna," she said.

"Trenna then. Are you going to be okay after I leave? I mean if someone else sees that…" He indicated the hole.

"Don't worry about that," she said, "I've got other false fronts I can attach there. No one will notice."

"Okay, but with your father gone and all…"

She smiled at him, her cheeks coloring a bit.

"You're sweet to ask. But this is my home, Kyle. Just like it was yours."

The operative let this sink in and then nodded.

"All right, but if you need anything…"

"My transmitter still works fine and I have a few friends among the neighbors. I'll be all right. Long live the Rebellion."

"Actually, we're the New Republic now."

She nodded. "Now, you'd better get going. Good luck."

"You too," Kyle said, moving towards the door, pausing for one last glance back at the woman. She smiled at him. He waved at her and passed through the door. Once outside, he looked around again for where to head next. It was then he heard a familiar, but unwelcome sound, the sound of a Tusken talking in its foreign language. The sound was coming from the operative's left. Turning that way, Kyle found a dome-shaped opening. Edging towards the opening, he reached to his belt and came up with the repeater rifle he had just acquired. Briefly, he considered exchanging it for his blaster. But this was as good a time as any to see what it could do.

Moving even closer to the opening, he risked a quick glance. A set of low steps led upwards and about halfway up them was the Tusken. It caught sight of the operative and bellowed its war cry. Swinging around the lip of the opening, Kyle raised the repeater rifle and pulled the first trigger. The weapon bucked in his heads as a stream of sparking yellow and white orbs issued from the muzzle. They struck the Tusken even as the alien was raising its own weapon. It began to jerk spasmodically as the yellow-white streaks struck it. Sparks issued from the body with each impact and the alien uttered a jolting cry. Letting go of the trigger, Kyle watched as the Tusken fell to the ground, its body punctured with at least a dozen holes. He looked down at the weapon in wonderment.

_Brolly's been holdin' out on me!

* * *

_

Moving past the smoking body, Kyle mounted the stairs and executed a left turn, finding himself in a large, semicircular courtyard comprised of white stone. One side had six domed shaped opening also open at the sides allowed free access. At least three of the openings appeared to have booths set up in them. To Kyle's right was a large overhang comprised of permacrete in a mixture of colors, some parts dark gray, others an off white and still others a lighter gray. Underneath the overhang were three large opening in which merchants had set up their wares. Kyle observed at least a dozen people milling about in the courtyard. The whole scene would have quite pleasant if not for the half dozen Gran and Tusken who appeared from nowhere and began to attack the people. The Gran struck with their fists, attacking the men and knocking them to ground. The Tuskens began to fire their bowcasters, shots ricocheting all over the place.

Kyle saw all this and knew he had to do something, but what could he do? Even if he attacked with his weapons, he might be able to kill some of the aliens, but not all of them. And the longer it took…

_The more of them that will die._

**Yes, they will. Because of you. **

Kyle recognized the voice immediately and a part of him said not to listen, but with the scene all around him…

_No! You lie!_

**Do I? These Gran and Tuskens are here because of you, they attack the people because of you. And the blood of all those who perish will be on your hands.**

A piercing scream echoed in the space. Kyle looked that way and saw a woman fall to the ground, a bowcaster shot striking her in the side. Somehow she managed to stand and clutching her side, made her way towards where a child stood, crying out in fear. She held the boy, attempting to shield him from the attackers. There was another and Kyle saw where a Gran was choking one of the men, the victim's feet kicking uselessly in mid-air. A small girl screamed as still another of the Gran knocked her aside with a callous blow.

**Look! See how they suffer, because of you! **

Kyle's eyes took in the scene before him, the words echoing in his mind. He felt completely powerless.

**And here you stand, weak-willed and helpless. What good are you? You stand here and let them suffer. Are you such a worthless fool as to let it continue?**

_There's… too many… I can't…_

**And now you offer excuses! You have the power and yet refuse to use it. You are no warrior and far less than a man! Had I know this before, I would have not bothered pursuing you. You are a waste of my time.**

The words cut deeply into Kyle. He wanted to speak out, to deny them, to offer defense. But his mind was a jumbled mess, incapable of producing a coherent thought. But as this last was said, something snapped inside the warrior. Fiery heat seemed to gather in his face and hands. His jumbled mind cleared in an instant and in place of the confusion, coldly efficient thoughts came. And as the mayhem before him continued, the anger and frustration grew until it became a burning rage inside him. He stared at the Grans and Tuskens with naked hatred.

_I will show them! I will show them all!_

The lightsaber seemed to appear from nowhere, solidly slapping into his right hand, his left drawing out the repeater rifle. Lips drew back from the warrior's teeth in a fierce snarl. He moved the saber until it was held above and just behind his head, the rifle socked into his left arm. And with a cry born of the rage inside him, he launched himself forward. To those who saw it, they later said the man moved with incredible speed, far greater than should have been possible for a human.

Kyle found his first target, a Gran looming over a man it had just knocked to the ground. The alien had time enough to turn and look before its head was sliced off. Pivoting on one foot and slashing down and out, the warrior took out the legs of another Gran before driving the saber through its chest. A loud shout from one of the Tuskens brought him spinning around to face the three booths directly behind him. It came charging out, firing its bowcaster.

The warrior smiled widely at the ridiculous action. The lightsaber hummed and pinged as shot after shot was deflected away. Up came the repeater rifle and a stream of yellow and white orbs lanced into the Tusken, making its body jitter as it was hit multiple times. When the warrior loosened his grip on the trigger, what remained of the alien's body fell to the ground. A fresh scream, which the warrior quickly identified as the woman he had seen shot only moments ago. He turned that way and saw that two of the attackers were upon her. The remaining Tusken was holding its bowcaster to her head and the Gran held her child, the boy struggling and crying out for his mother.

Fresh anger washed over the warrior, making the very nerves insides his arms quiver with rage. A fresh cry escaped his lips as he flew towards the space, the lightsaber held out before him like a spear. Both aliens turned at the sound and the Tusken began to fire its weapon.

"Fool!" the warrior exclaimed as he deflected the blasts away with little more than a thought. He intended to run the alien through, letting the energy blade slice the Tusken completely in half. But then, the alien did the unexpected. It grabbed the woman, using her as a shield.

_What do I do?_

**Do you still struggle with such trivial matters? Kill her! **

The warrior could see the woman was in pain, but he could feel that her concern was not for herself, but for the child, whom she called to even now through her pain.

_I can't. I can't just murder her._

**And so you would exchange you life for hers? Only a fool would do so! Kill her and be done with it!**

The warrior could see he would be upon them in the next instant. He had to decide… but what to do? His eyes went to the crying child, then to the mother.

**Why do you hesitate? End this! Kill her!**

_I… I…I…I… I ca… I ca…_

"I CAN'T" he screamed aloud.

As if waiting for that exact moment, the warrior's mind was filled with new possibilities, and a new choice. In the space of heartbeats, he holstered the rifle and extended the now empty hand. The woman's body seemed to bend as she flew forward and into the warrior's waiting grasp. Moving with all the gentleness he could muster, he deposited her on the ground and, in the midst of a spin, brought the saber up and across, slicing the Tusken from waist to shoulder. Even as its body fell, the warrior turned its attention to the boy, whom the Gran still held. It backed away, holding the child with one arm while it drew out a blaster with its free hand. The warrior saw there was no way he could strike safely, any move he tried would likely result in the death of the boy.

**What does it matter? His life is nothing! Strike!**

"I won't," the warrior replied. And then he saw the answer. Drawing the saber back, he lashed out with a boot, smashing it into the Gran's knee. With a loud cry of pain, the alien stumbled and began to fall. The warrior seized the opportunity, executing a perfect spin that brought him behind the alien. The lightsaber stabbed out, slicing through the back of the Gran's head, obliterating its face. The alien's body began to sag and the boy fell from its grasp. Somehow, the warrior managed to maneuver himself to catch the child, deactivating the saber as he did so. Face tear streaked and cheeks reddened, the boy looked up at him in surprise and wonderment. The warrior didn't know why, but he smiled down at the child, his heart which had been black with anger suddenly filled with joy.

"Fremlen!"

The warrior looked to see the woman, struggling to rise; an expression of worry and fear on her face. He began to smile at her too, but when their eyes met, hers went steely. The warrior could feel the raw anger pouring off her as she glared at him. In response, he set the child down.

"Momma!" the boy cried, running to her. The woman swept him up into her arms and started to back away, still glaring. The warrior wanted to say something, to explain things to her. But something inside him said it would be fruitless. Instead, he removed three of the medpacs he carried and set them on the ground. He was just beginning to back away when he spotted the last Gran. It was crouching near a wooden slat leaning up against the wall. Their eyes met and the warrior reacted by extending his right and wagging it in a "come on" gesture.

With a loud yell, the Gran made its move, knocking the wood slat aside, nearly hitting two people who were coming to check on the woman. The warrior pushed off and ran at the alien, even as it reached down to its belt and drew out two thermal detonators, arming and throwing both of them. The warrior reacted with a shake of his head as he extended his hand. The silvery orbs stopped in mid arc and to the amazement of all who saw it, reversed their course, flying back towards the Gran and exploding. When the warrior reached the spot, all that was left was a smoking body. It was then he noticed a small alcove where the wooden panel had been. Part of the back wall had been knocked and another space was visible beyond.

The warrior noticed it looked not unlike the space he was in, but it was clear that something had been happening there. Walls and ceilings alike were chipped and cracked and there was clear evidence of blaster fire.

_Guess someone doesn't like to have company._

Suddenly, there was a tug at his sleeve and the warrior spun around, drawing out his lightsaber. The man who had touched him backed away with a startled exclamation, nearly falling.

"Please! You've got to help me!"

For a moment, the warrior considered pushing past and continuing on. But something in the man's face and something inside the warrior told him to listen.

"What?"

"Those things! They have my son and his wife! They've trapped them on the upper level of our home! I saw what you just did! Please help them!"

The man pointed to a building just outside the courtyard. Even though it was over three hundred yards away, the warrior was able to see it clearly. And on a bridge near the same, he saw movement. The man had just opened his mouth to plead once again when the warrior took off at a run. As he did so, part of his mind wondered at what was going with him. He felt the call of anger, of rage and he had responded, losing himself in the darkness, and yet it was not darkness. It was not complete, but he felt some semblance of control, of leading rather than being led. It was at once clear and yet confusing. It was not being a Jedi and yet _was_ being one.

_I will need to consult Rahn and meditate on this._

But such things were for a later time. A high piercing scream cut the air as the warrior drew closer to the building. He could see part of the roof of the structure, but it was one level above him and there was no visible of accessing it anywhere around him. The Force seemed to sing inside his mind, telling him what he might do. Moving to stand near the roof, the warrior crouched and then pushed off, his feet leaving the ground and the walls of the structure rocketing past him as he rose. The roof appeared and the warrior pushed forward, his boots landing solidly on the surface. Before him was a large rectangular window and beyond the transparisteel, he could see the object of the pleading man's concern. At the far end of the room were a man and woman, standing behind a makeshift barricade of tables and chairs.

Two Gran were in the room as well, one ransacking the space while the second used its superior reach to punch at the man, who attempted to defend himself but was clearly getting his butt kicked. The woman cowered behind him, crying and screaming. The warrior's rage returned full force at the scene as well as a strong determination to do something about it. Reaching to his belt, he pulled his blaster out and fired. The window trembled and then shattered, fragments crumbling to the ground in a cacophony of clattering. Two more blaster shots took out the Gran closest to the window. But for the second, the warrior decided, it would be not be a quick and easy death. He stepped through the window almost casually and drew out his lightsaber, the weapon igniting with a sharp _snap-hiss_.

Seeing this, the Gran stepped back from the man, drawing a blaster from its belt. But the warrior merely smiled and leapt forward, lightsaber blade loudly humming as it contacted the alien's chest and sliced through with only the briefest hint of resistance. The Gran stared down at the emerald shaft and then its eyes went unfocused, its body beginning to slump. The warrior withdrew the blade and looked to the man and woman, who stared at him in shock, which quickly melted into fear and anger. The man moved in front of his wife, protecting her, glaring at the warrior. Just then, a loud cry was heard was from somewhere nearby.

"Kreesta! Hokja!"

From an entryway appeared an older man, face red from exertion. He stopped to catch his breath and then approached.

"You did it! You saved them!"

The man approached the warrior, a happy smile on his face. And for some reason, the smile made the warrior felt uncomfortable. He turned on the older man. A sudden idea seized him.

"How do I get to the Imperial Base?"

The man stopped, stared at the warrior, confusion evident on his face.

"What are you saying?"

Sudden anger filled the warrior. He brandished the lightsaber, approaching the older man.

"How do I get to the Imperial Base?" he said with greater force.

The older man's face now showed the fear his son had shown.

"Hey now… listen, you don't…"

The warrior stepped forward once more, bringing the saber blade close, mere inches from the man's throat.

"Tell me what I need to know."

"He doesn't know!" came a voice from behind. The warrior turned and saw the young man.

"Do you know?"

"Not really, but on the far side of the upper courtyard, is a blocked entryway. When those black-robed thugs came here before, one of them warned us to stay away from there. That might be what you're looking for. You're just like them."

The warrior considered this. It was possible the young man was lying, but something inside said it was the truth. And besides, the feeling of being uncomfortable was growing by the second.

"How do I get out of here?"

The young man pointed. "Back door's that way. Now get out of here."

The warrior paused in mid-turn. He didn't like the defiance in the young man's tone. Part of him felt like demonstrating what happened when you copped an attitude. But even as the warrior considered this, his stomach lurched uncomfortably.

_What is going on?_

Something was definitely wrong, but this was neither the time nor the place for such explorations. The warrior turned in the direction and took off, pushing through the back entrance and heading across the top of the courtyard he had just been in. The door the young man had spoken of was visible on the far side of the space. The warrior wondered what he would find behind it.

_Only one way to find out.

* * *

_The battle continues in Chapter 22! See ya then!


	22. Chapter 22: Battle in the City Part 2

**Kyle Katarn: The Rise & Fall **

**Book 2: Birth of a Jedi **

**Chapter 22: Battle in the City Part 2

* * *

**

A/N: Hey there, everyone! Shanesnest here with the latest chapter of the story for you. Sorry it's a bit late, but I had next to nothing prepared last week what getting ready for Christmas and all. And then, last Friday, we got about two feet of snow dumped on us here in Glen Allen! Thanks goodness I'd be up to the store that morning for supplies, 'cause the roads turned into one big skating rink! I heard on the news that there were over 300 accidents this past weekend from people venturing out in the snow. Not me. I stayed home, worked on this, watched videos and did a bit of shoveling.

But hey, instead of saying this chapter is late, how about we look at this as my somewhat early Christmas present to you all! And best of all, I didn't have to wrap it! (Thank you, thank you, enjoy the blintzes, I'll be here all week). Okay, enough of my weak attempts at comedy. Let's get to the shout outs!

Eneak: Of course! You took the time to review, you deserve a mention! Believe me; I've considered your idea.

Nerwen Aldarion: Yep, whether in combat or hanging out on the _Intrepid_, it seems he always manages to find it! Actually, that scene with Kyle and the kid I drew on memories of me and my nephew when we used to goof around with a couple of toy lightsabers. Yeah, I think it must be a rule that university food all tastes like cardboard, not to mention the mystery meat! Y'know, as soon I wrote the "I'm just a guy with a lightsaber", I remembered that scene. Too funny! Jan _is_ going to find out, I'm just not sure _how_ yet.

Tinuviel Undomiel: Ugh! Lack of sleep combined with back to back finals! Your college life is reminding me too much of my own. I remember one time when I was at George Mason University I had an accounting final in the morning and a statistics final in the afternoon. Pure torture! Thanks for the advice about Kyle's choice. Hope you like what you see!

Gall 4185: Glad to hear from you again! Definitely missed you! No need to be ashamed. I'm the one who took two years to finish part 1 of this story, remember? Glad you've liked the chapters so far. Hope this one is good as well!

Manus Dei: Kyle is one of the classic examples of what uncontrolled and misdirected anger and rage can do. You have a good point about him possibly killing more innocents. Oh yeah, gonna lay the smackdown on Jerec!

Lolek Belika: You've been a delight to exchange emails with. Please continue giving me feedback. Looking forward to what you think of this chapter.

Darth Red: Dude! Been a while, but great to hear from you nonetheless! Well, with any luck part 2 won't take as long to write as Part 2! Y'know as soon as I read what you what you wrote about Nar Shaddaa, it was like, duh! How did I not remember that? Oh well, such are the things that happen. I see what you mean about the similarities between the two. 8t88 is actually a real character from the Dark Forces game. I have taken artistic license on some of the scenes with him, but not many. Hope you enjoy the rest of the chapters. Looking forward to hearing from you again!

Mach Farcon: Thanks so much, man. Actually, she's doing. The cancer's gone, it didn't spread and her main doctor has pronounced her cancer free. So it couldn't have gone better. God is good! Don't worry about the reviews. I'll take 'em when I can get 'em! On Chapter 20, yeah, you're right about the lightsaber workings. I just had the idea and went with it. But I like your idea about the attack just the same! On Chapter 21, thanks so much. Regarding Anakin, here's how I put it. You want some cheese with all that whine? I'm with you on the repeater! I love how the enemies get all jerky when you shoot them. Running out of ammo definitely sucks, though.

A/N: Well, this has been fun. Got to hear from two old friends along with new ones. Thank you one and all for your compliments, comments and advice! So, until Chapter 23, Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

* * *

**Planet Sulon**

**Outside of the city of Barons Hed**

**Location of the **_**Moldy **_**Crow**

Kneeling on the rocky ground of the concealed plateau, Jan Ors reached up with her sonic wrench and gave the nut she was working on a final quarter turn. Satisfied, she closed the access panel.

"Hey Wee Gee?" she called.

The orb-like face of the droid appeared over the lip of the canopy. It gave a querying beep.

"Go ahead and try it again," she said, wiping at a smudge of grease on her cheek.

The droid gave a confirming tweetle, disappearing from view. A few seconds later, the unit in front of Jan gave a low hum, followed by a cough and then a steadier thrumming sound.

_That sounds better._

Standing up, Jan scaled the side of the cockpit until she could see inside.

"How's it look?"

The droid turned so its text reader was visible. "Auxiliary power unit is now reading 90%."

Jan frowned. "Not exactly what I wanted."

"Me neither," Wee Gee replied, "but you have been at it for five hours. I do not think it will get any better."

The look on Jan's face showed she wasn't convinced. She was about to clamber down when a rag appeared in front of her eyes, held by one of the droid's arms.

"You should take a break," it said.

The frown dissolved into a tired smile. She nodded. "You're right, and thanks." she said, taking the proffered item and wiping at the dirt and grease accumulated on her hands. Her eyes roved across the length of the vessel. "I swear, Wee Gee, sometimes I feel like tearing the whole ship apart and rebuilding it from the ground up."

"As old as the Crow is," the droid answered, "it is likely to disintegrate should you try."

Jan laughed, reaching out to affectionately pat Wee Gee on top of its domed body. It still amazed her how this droid, despite being a machine, could act as human as a real person. It made her wonder exactly what Morgan Katarn had done in building and programming Wee Gee. Despite her earlier feelings about the droid, she found it just had a way of growing on her.

_And given how things were a little while ago…_

She blew out a breath, her mind retracing over what had transpired. It happened the morning after Kyle's communication. Since then, nothing had been heard from him and the lack of contact was driving her to distraction. Time and again she asked the droid if it had detected a signal. And each time, Wee Gee had patiently responded in the negative. Things finally came to a head around mid-morning.

* * *

"Are you _sure_ you're not detecting anything?" she pressed.

"For the one thousandth, six hundred and seventy-fifth time: no I have not."

"Is that supposed to be funny?"

The droid didn't reply.

"It's been almost twenty-six hours, and still nothing from him. He was supposed to contact me first thing in the morning."

"It is rather unusual," Wee Gee said.

"Oh, is it?" Jan replied sarcastically, glaring at the droid, "well, I'm so glad you were here to tell me the obvious? Tell me, do you have any other profound thoughts to share?"

Again, Wee Gee didn't reply.

"Maybe I should check your comm rig," Jan said suddenly, snapping her fingers, "make sure it's working correctly."

She moved towards the rear cockpit, reaching towards the droid's ball like body. To her surprise, it backed away, hooting stridently. When she examined the text reader, she felt her temperature go up a notch.

"Do not touch me!"

"What?" Jan said incredulously," what did you say?"

"I said, do not touch me," the droid replied, "the way you are now, you might damage me."

"Excuse me?" she asked angrily.

"My sensors detect increased blood pressure and heartbeat. Combined with the reaction from your pupils, I conclude that you are not behaving logically. And as such, I cannot trust you to not damage me."

Jan felt her ire rising like a thermometer in August.

"You listen to me, you collection of scrap and spare parts! I am a multi-certified, microelectronics rated, and experienced technician whose worked on systems far more complicated than your innards!"

"Then you should know well how important it is not to work on complex systems given the state you are in."

In the next moment, Jan had drawn her blaster, pointing it at the droid. Her finger was just settling on the trigger when Wee Gee's heavy construction arm moved with amazing speed, the pincer attachment encircling Jan's wrist. The droid exerted pressure and with a painful grunt, she dropped the weapon.

"Let… me… go," she said through clenched teeth, fire dancing in her eyes.

"Will you leave me alone?"

"I said…"

The droid repeated its query.

"Fine! I won't touch you! Now let go!"

The droid released her and Jan pulled her arm back, part of the wrist reddened. She massaged it with her free hand. To her surprise once more, Wee Gee advanced towards her.

"What are you doing?" she asked.

"You are injured."

"No kidding. You're the one who did it, remember?"

The droid was silent for several seconds, and then uttered a low series of beeps.

"I am sorry. I was afraid."

Something in the droid's words piqued Jan's curiosity.

"What are you talking about? You're a droid, you can't be afraid."

"When I was deactivated before, it was many years before Kyle reactivated me. So much had changed. I do not wish that to happen again."

Jan's logical mind processed this, her raging emotions cooling a little. There was a sudden, but soft touch on her wrist. She looked down and saw the droid's smaller arm all but touching her wrist. It sprayed a clear fluid from a nozzle. Whatever the liquid was, it brought with it a cooling sensation. After a few second, the droid pulled its arm back.

"It should feel better now," it said.

Jan flexed the joint and found that it _did_ feel better. She stared at the joint, still feeling angry, but also curious. Maybe, just maybe, there was to this droid than circuits and wires. She also considered her own behavior and felt shame. She looked down.

"Thank you," she said softly, "and I'm sorry."

She heard the droid beep and while she really didn't want to look, forced herself to. There was a simple, four word message on the text reader.

"I am sorry too."

Jan felt sudden emotion and only a strong effort kept her from giving in to it. Minutes passed as she worked to bring herself under control. When she was able to speak again, she addressed the droid.

"Look, I…"

The droid cut her off with a series of beeps.

"I am worried about Kyle too."

There was such sincerity to the words that it was nearly palpable.

"You are, aren't you?"

The droid gave a confirming beep. And this time, when Jan moved forward, it didn't retreat. She laid a hand gently atop its dome.

"You and I need to have a talk later. But for now, let's focus on what's important. Is there anything we can do to extend your range, maybe get a message to Kyle?"

The droid considered this and then beeped in the affirmative. "It is possible. But I would need to access the ship auxiliary power unit and right now that unit is running at approximately 30%, which is barely enough to maintain the backup systems."

"Thirty percent?" Jan echoed.

The droid beeped affirmatively.

"Well," she said, rubbing her hands together, "that's a problem I _can _fix. Can you hook yourself into the power readout and keep me updated on it?"

"Yes."

"Good, then let's get to it."

* * *

And now, five hours later, the work had been accomplished. Well, sort of. As Wee Gee made the connections to allow him to boost his transmitter/receiver power, Jan patted the droid's head again.

"Y'know something, Wee Gee? I'm glad I didn't blast you."

"So am I," the droid replied and then it issued a series of strident beeps. Jan watched as the words scrawled across the text reader. She shook her head.

"Wouldn't you know?" she said as Wee Gee processed the incoming signal. Taking a seat in the forward couch, Jan waited as the transmission was descrambled and the comm speakers came to life. There was a brief burst of static and then, ''… to _Moldy Crow_. Repeat, Katarn to _Moldy Crow_. Are you there?"

Jan keyed her mike on. "About time I heard from you. You want to explain exactly where in heaven's name have you've been, Katarn?"

"Getting shot at," came back the reply, frustration and anger evident in the tone.

_Sithspit,_ Jan thought, wishing she had said something else.

"Are you all right?" she asked, her tone far less sarcastic.

"Depends how you define all right," was the reply, "I _did_ manage to find the Imperial base."

"Good," she said, "what about getting inside?"

She heard him snort. "That… may present a bit of a problem."

"Kyle, what exactly is going on?"

"You wouldn't believe me if I told you."

"Try me," she said firmly.

She heard him sigh and then he began, telling her of leaving the Gharnt's house and the battles he had endured, culminating in the one in the courtyard where the Gran and Tuskens had attacked the civilians. Carefully omitted was his sense of slipping into the Dark Side again.

"So the agents are still there," she said at one point.

"And let me tell you," he said, "they're very much appreciated. That one girl, Jan, she just lost her father and yet, she's taken up his role without hesitation."

"She sounds like a strong person. Still, with her family gone… we could try getting her out of here."

"I thought the same thing," Kyle replied, "no go. She doesn't want to leave and I sure wasn't gonna force her. She _did_ say her neighbors were looking out for her, so it's not like she's completely alone. I told her to send a message if she changes her mind."

"Good idea," Jan said, "So after the courtyard, what happened next?"

"I began following the path the one guy showed me."

* * *

After passing through the wooden door on the far side of the courtyard, Kyle had followed an upper level path to what looked like a series of roofs. The curved shapes were perhaps ten feet off the ground and after consulting his directional map, which updated its records as he went along, the operative realized he was on the back side of the courtyard. The space he was in was deserted and looked all but abandoned. He followed the path over the curved roofs until it ended.

Beneath him was a large open area of broken stone and gravel. It reminded the operative of a quarry somewhat, but the rocks looked less like they had been moved by machinery. Scorch marks indicated blaster fire or perhaps a thermal detonator. The steep hill about ten feet in front of him stretched up to the sky. Lowering his feet over the edge of the drop off, Kyle slid down until only his hands supported him. He let go, dropping a short distance before his feet met the pit of broken rock and gravel. He had to momentarily fight for balance before he was able to stand upright. Glancing around, the operative spotted an opening ahead of him. Little light entered the structure and its roof only added to the darkness within. Kyle was about to move forward when he heard a strange sound. It almost sounded like someone speaking, but the tone was metallic and the words in an incomprehensible language. Seconds later, the sound of a repulsor became audible and turning to look behind and above, he saw its source.

The Arakyd Viper probe droid was an ungainly thing to behold. Spider-like in appearance, it featured a somewhat domed with irregular protrusions along the surface. Most of these were sensors of various kinds, along with a powerful spotlight that the droid now trained on the operative. Below the head was a short neck-like piece that connected the head to the circular body which contained the droid's propulsion and single blaster cannon. Five articulated arms dangled down from the body, seemingly moving at random. This particular probe droid, aloft several feet above the operative, began to descend, firing its weapon. The rock next to Kyle's right foot exploded, the concussion throwing the operative off balance. As he struggled to keep his feet, he managed to activate his shield, which absorbed the next blast. Moving back several steps, the operative tried to resist the pressure as more shots struck the shield, even as he reached for his belt.

Out came the repeater rifle and just as another blast hit, Kyle held it aloft and depressed the trigger. The weapon bucked only slightly as a stream of yellow and white projectiles shot from the muzzle. The droid staggered and began to shake as shot after shot hit it. Kyle held down the trigger until with a final shudder, the probe droid exploded. Lowering the rifle, he took a minute to catch his breath. While he couldn't say why, the operative had a strong feeling that there were more of the droids here. And as he passed through the dimly lit structure, he found his prediction was right on. Beyond the darkness he could the ground was comprised of cobblestones and there were a number of buildings in sight. What made these buildings special were the obvious marks of blaster fire on the chipped and cracked permacrete. Kyle was almost outside the structure when heard the sound from moments ago. He looked up and saw another probe droid descending towards him. Up came the repeater rifle and before the droid could fire, it was hit multiple times and exploded.

Moving into the sunlight, Kyle began to make his way down a path bordered by damaged buildings on either side. Suddenly, he heard another probe droid and felt a blaster bolt crash into his back. The concussion pushed him forward and down and would have spilled him to the ground had not the operative used the momentum to turn his fall into a forward roll. He turned round but saw nothing. Another turn to the right, then to the left, still nothing. Cursing to himself and shaking his head, the operative looked straight up and saw the probe droid only a few feet away. He raised the repeater rifle, but missed his grip slightly and hit the secondary trigger this time. The weapon bucked with greater force as a triangular pattern of yellow and white dots shot from the weapon and struck the droid.

_Well, that's different._

Holding the trigger down, the operative watched as the droid staggered, shook and finally erupted in a ball of fire. Reminding himself to think in three dimensions from now on, Kyle briefly explored the space he was in before finding another path just off the one he was on. A set of stone steps led downward, the pathway ending in a dead end. The operative noticed the end of the path was a gray metal very reminiscent of Imperial construction. He had a feeling he was nearing the Imperial base. But as he moved the steps, there was a sudden, high pulsing sound accompanied by a loud explosion and uncomfortable burning sensation.

* * *

"I figured out a little later that it was a sequencer charge. Whoever put the probe droids there must have planted them just in case."

"I amazed you're still alive."

"Oh thanks, Jan," the operative said sarcastically, "that makes me feel so much better."

"Sorry," she said.

"It's okay. As I said, the blast was so sudden I didn't have time to really do anything. Luckily my shield was online and took the brunt of it. Still, it threw me about ten feet. I'm not sure how long I was out, but when I finally woke up, the sun was just coming overhead."

Jan did the math and realized Kyle had been out for most of the previous day and part of this one.

_No wonder I didn't hear from him until now._

"Do you need me to come pick you up?"

"No," he said firmly, "as I said, the shield took most of the blast. I've got a nasty cut on my left arm and a few others on my face and hands, but I'm still ambulatory. I'm probably going to have to get a new 'uniform' when we get back to the _Intrepid_. This one's a mess."

"Are you _sure_ you're all right?"

"I can continue the mission, I think."

"And what exactly does that mean, Katarn?"

"Let me explain."

* * *

When consciousness returned to the operative, he opened his eyes and saw the sky of Sulon above him. As sensation returned to his body, pain came with it. He sat up with a painful grunt and took inventory of himself. The shield was out, the power indicator dark. His weapons and equipment were scratched and dented, but otherwise functional. Blood sparkled in the sunlight from a long, but shallow cut along his left arm. Part of his left cheek was sliced as well and both his hands were coated with dirt and bruised. Extracting one of the medpacks he had gotten earlier, he injected the contents and with minutes, began to feel some relief. A second injection brought even more relief along with the cessation of blood trickling from his wounds.

As soon as he felt able, the operative rose to his feet. It took nearly a minute to orient himself. He was back on the cobblestone path he had come from earlier, approximately ten feet from the stone stairs. Approaching them, Kyle saw a huge blast mark when the stone was blackened and cracked.

_Some kind of land mine, I guess. Whatever it was, it was powerful._

Moving down the stone steps once again, Kyle found a dome-shaped opening in the wall to his right. He was about to enter the space, but halted in mid-step.

_Better make sure it's safe._

Pulling a thermal detonator from his belt, he armed the device and rolled the silvery ball inside the space. Ten seconds went by as the detonator's timer counted down and it exploded. A second later, a larger, louder explosion was heard. Moving inside the dimly lit room, Kyle saw another blast mark like the one outside. It was clear evidence that another land mine type device had been there. The space he was in now was as damaged looking as the outside. One corner had partly collapsed and looked as if it would give at any moment. Looking around, Kyle spotted a door sized opening in the right hand wall and passed through it. Executing a right hand turn, he moved up another, even darker, corridor and a set of wooden stairs, which dead-ended after a short way. Fortunately, he found another dome shaped opening in the right hand wall. However this one was covered with a wooden door. Finding a set of controls, Kyle pressed the "open" button. The door shuddered, slid aside a few inches, and then slammed closed again.

_Great, _he thought, _door's jammed._

He tried the control again and the door repeated its action. But just as it slammed closed, the operative noticed what look liked movement on the other side. He keyed the door again. As it opened, he gazed intently and saw that, yes, there _was_ movement. It was another probe droid. But even as the operative cursed his luck, an idea came to him. He checked the repeater rifle and found it had about half a clip of ammo left. Holding the weapon in his right hand, he keyed the door with his left. As the door slid aside this time, the probe droid filled the small opening. Aiming the rifle, Kyle fired. The droid shuddered and shook and when it exploded, the concussion knocked the door aside, allowing the operative a wide enough opening to pass through. The room he entered was as disheveled much as the others had been. The entire left hand wall was gone along with a chunk of the roof. Passing into the chamber beyond, Kyle could see where the right hand corner wall was nearly collapsed. Looking to his left, he spotted a dome shaped opening. Passing through it, he found himself on a narrow path of broken stone and gravel of a darker color than the one he had seen earlier.

The operative began to wonder if maybe he had been wrong about his earlier assessment about this area being used for weapons testing. The damage was too great, too extensive for weapons fire to account for all of it. Making his way down the gravel path, he spotted a stone floor beyond. Stepping down onto it, he looked about and with a satisfied nod, figured it out. To his left and soaring overhead were the spires of a building under construction.

_The Imps must be demolishing parts of the old city in order to expand the base. _

Further contemplation was cut off as he heard the sound of a probe droid nearby. It appeared over the lip of the near wall, already firing. A series of shots from the repeater rifle caught it even as the cannon blast from the droid struck the wall behind Kyle. Seconds later, all that was left of the probe droid were a few metal fragments raining down from the sky. With the attacker taken care of, Kyle glanced about and saw the only way out of this space was another dome shaped opening, although this one didn't look nearly as safe as the others. A board was lying diagonally across the opening and as the operative drew closer, he could see partially collapsed walls being held up by support beams.

_Great, not only do I have to deal with probe droids, but now I can have the ceiling come down on me. Wonderful._

With trepidation, the operative entered the space, moving across and under the support beams. He was perhaps halfway inside when the floor suddenly dropped out from underneath. Fortunately, the fall was a short one and the operative found himself in an underground corridor. After recovering from the sudden shock, he began to explore. Moving across the stone floor, he followed it up a set of stairs and was just about to make a right hand turn when he found that further progress would be impeded by the fact that the ceiling here had completely collapsed. Retracing his steps, the operative found an entryway that led him to a door shaped opening and set of stairs leading downwards. There was little to no light down here and so Kyle went down one step before feeling for the next. He had gone perhaps a dozen paces when his foot touched water and he heard a splashing sound. Though his luma was limited by a small bank of five batteries, the operative decided he needed to use it here and now for as long as it would hold out. Activating the device, he saw that the stairs he stood on descended down further, but were also submerged.

_Not again. I am getting awfully tired of being wet. _

However, there was little choice if he wanted to continue. Taking a deep breath, he plunged into the water, holding his breath as he followed the stairs down into a room where he was able to make out two entryways. Swimming into the closer of the two, he quickly ran into another dead end. There _was_ one room here, but the water was right up to the ceiling and there was nothing of interest inside. Swimming back up the stairs, Kyle gasped loudly as his head broke water. He climbed up onto one of the dry steps and sat down, switching off his luma to save power. Recovering his breath, the operative contemplated what to do next. He had seen another room down there, but had no idea where it led to or how deep it was. It was then he remembered a new piece of equipment he had received from Chief Brolly before leaving the _Intrepid._

The green plastic described a thin rectangle with a circular section in the middle that Kyle could put into his mouth. According to Brolly, this rebreather was able to extract oxygen from the water and provide Kyle with breathable air. The only problem was that it was good for only a short time, approximately five minutes. The scrubbers inside would be saturated then and the device made completely useless.

_Let's just hope I don't need it that long. _

Inserting the device in his mouth and biting down on it with his teeth, Kyle tasted the distinct and unpleasant tang of the plastic.

_Okay, Brolly, _he thought, _this thing better work._

Activating the luma once, the operative plunged back into the water, swimming down and around the left turn from earlier before entering the larger room. The luma allowed him to make out the walls and floor, but no other openings. He was just about to turn around and go back when he spotted a large opening in the floor. Hoping it would lead somewhere useful; Kyle swam down into it and found himself in a large circular pipe. Looking around, he saw he could go left or right.

_Great._

Choosing right, he swam that way, the luma bringing the sides of the pipe into view. Minutes passed and the operative began to worry. Just then, a shape ahead became visible. But upon getting closer, he saw this section of the pipe ended in a landslide that blocked this end.

_Sithspit!_

Whipping around, Kyle pushed off the wall with his feet and swam forward as hard he could, his mind mentally ticking off the time remaining. He reached the space where had entered the pipe just as the rebreather stopped working. Opening his mouth a little, the operative allowed the device to fall from his mouth, left now with only the air still in his lungs.

_I've got to make it. I can't fail now._

The pipe continued ahead and the operative's worry began to creep towards despair. His chest began to ache and his lungs were telling his brain he needed to breathe, soon. Still he swam on, determined not to give up. Black spots began to appear in his vision, a sure sign of oxygen deprivation. It was perhaps a second later that his hands, reaching for another stroke, encountered the rough permacrete of the pipe. It took only a moment for the operative to discern that the pipe was inclining upwards. He swam up now, vision beginning to fade, his strokes beginning to grow less and less strong. Suddenly, his upper body met air, hands slapping against the permacrete once again. His mouth opened, drawing in air, the exhalation just as strong.

_I'm out. I made it._

Pushing with his feet weakly, the operative moved to turn on his side, his mouth opening and drawing in great gouts of air. His fading vision cleared, allowing him to see that he was lying on the inclined section of pipe, which leveled out only a short distance away. He stayed there several more minutes, getting his breath back until he was able to breathe normally. Retrieving his luma from where it floated nearby in the water, Kyle shone it on the space before him. At first, he only saw the curved sides of the large pipe and little else. But once he felt the strength to rise to his feet and venture forward, the pipe suddenly opened up into a large room. Kyle shone his luma this way and that, trying to get the dimensions of the space. Up above him was a wood bridge and he was just passing under it when a laser blast bubbled the permacrete in front of him. A moment later, he heard the pulsing sound of a probe droid's repulsor. The operative looked skyward and saw it hovering just in front of the wood bridge. Without looking he reached to his belt and pulled a weapon. But instead of the repeater rifle, he came up with the blaster.

Mentally shrugging, he pointed the weapon at the droid and fired. It was knocked to one side on the first hit, then to the other with the second. Kyle continued to fire, striking the probe droid until one of the crimson bolts penetrated its shell. The droid went up in a spectacular flash, the explosion echoing in the space. When quiet had returned again, Kyle holstered the blaster and continued to examine the place he was in. It took some fifteen minutes before he deciphered it. It was an inspection station, used to check the underground canals and make sure they were in working order. However, this one seemed deserted. No lights shone in the space, save for Kyle's luma. It took a few more minutes for him to find a stairway that lead to the second level. The wood bridge he had seen from below spanned the space from the canal to a control booth where the operative could see light coming from. However, as he crossed the bridge and entered the booth, he found it just as deserted. Stranger still, the access door, which should have led to a turbolift to take the inspector back to the surface had been removed and tossed aside like so much garbage. Kyle peeked into where the turbolift shaft should and instead found a gray metal honeycomb shaft in its place.

_Imps must've done this. Wonder where this thing leads._

No sooner had he stepped onto a metal platform in the middle of the shaft that he heard a gear system engage and then the platform began to rise.

_Well, guess I'm gonna find out._

When the platform reached the top of the shaft, Kyle found himself inside a dim chamber where angled ramps were visible on all four sides. He looked and saw that, beyond one of these was an equally dim room, lit only by a number of telltale lights from banks of instruments. As his eyes adjusted, the operative identified six alcoves in the space. He was above to move up the ramp when he heard the now familiar sound of another probe droid. After a few moments, he heard a second, then a third, then a fourth. Several seconds passed as he worked to discern the sounds. But given that there were six alcoves, it stood to reason that there were six probe droids. The question now became how to take them out without getting blasted. Kyle smiled as an idea came to him. Pulling himself up onto the ramp, he stood and pushed off, jumping forward and landing nearly in the middle of the floor.

Two of the probe droids reacted immediately, moving from their alcoves, their weapons swinging into place. Kyle's hands went down to his belt and when they came up; the repeater rifle was held in his right, the blaster in his left. He held both weapons out and depressed the triggers. The simultaneous kick from both weapons sent shock waves down both arms, but Kyle forced himself to keep his arms steady. Both probe droids went down with a half dozen shots each. The operative switched his aim to the next two alcoves and caught the probe droids there just as they were powering up. As they exploded, he drew down on the remaining two, destroying them in their alcoves. The explosions echoed loudly in the confined space. And when all was done, Kyle let his arms drop, returning the weapons to their respective holsters and giving his aching limbs a much needed break. Still, he mused, it _had_ been kindafun.

Once he felt able to continue, Kyle located the exit and moved down a dim corridor which turned after some distance to the left. Less than a hundred yards ahead was a door, ostensibly the exit. He noticed a second door, just off to his left. And as he approached it, he heard voices, voices he knew all too well.

_Stormtroopers. I must be near the base._

Kyle briefly considered heading for the exit and leaving the troopers where they were, but dismissed the idea as too dangerous. They might not detect him, but if they did, the corridor would become a killing field. And so it was that he drew the lightsaber from his belt, holding it in his left hand as he keyed the control panel with his right. The silver and white door slid aside, revealing a small room with two stormtroopers.

"Intruder!" one called, raising his weapon.

"Hold it right there!" called the other.

Before either Imperial could fire, Kyle took two steps inside the room, switching the lightsaber to a two-handed grip and thumbing it on. The _snap-hiss _was loud inside the space. Kyle pulled the emerald blade back over his shoulder as both troopers cried out another warning. They were just about to fire when he swung, decapitating one and slicing the other from shoulder to waist, a cry of pain cut off as his body fell to the ground. Switching the saber off, Kyle backed out of the space and headed for the other door. It slid aside at his approach and before him law the massive sprawl of the Imperial base. Several hundred feet ahead, he saw the massive spires of the Government House. He also saw a large raised platform upon which stood an Imperial AT-ST Scout Walker.

_Oh boy, _he thought, _this just keeps getting better and better._

Finding a darkened corner in the space he was, Kyle crouched there and continued to observe.

* * *

"And that's where I am now," he concluded.

Jan was silent for a few moments, her mind still processing all that Kyle had told her. It seemed impossible that one man had done all this and managed to survive. Somehow he had done so.

_It doesn't seem possible, no matter how I come at it. But he did it, somehow he did it. But how?_

It was then that Jan began to wonder if Kyle was telling her everything or not.

"So what's the plan now?" she asked.

"I was hoping you'd know," he replied.

"Not funny, Katarn."

"I'm _not_ kidding, Jan. This place is huge. I'm not sure where to even start looking, much less how I'm going to get inside."

Wee Gee's strident series caused her to turn around. She read the message on the text reader.

"I have an idea."

"Can you wait a sec?" she asked Kyle.

"Sure. Anything wrong?"

"Not sure. Hang on, I'll be right back."

Muting the channel, she turned to the droid. "What is it?"

Wee Gee's holoprojector came on and projected an image of Government House. The image rotated to show one side of the building where a massive opening was visible.

"Hangar bay?" she asked.

"Main warehouse," the droid corrected, "it is where supplies are brought in."

Jan considered this and then nodded. "Worth a shot." She opened the comm channel.

"Kyle, you still there?"

"No, I'm back on the _Intrepid_."

Jan ignored the sarcastic response. "Wee Gee has found a possibility. There's a warehouse on the north side of the building. His information indicates there's an entryway there you should be able to use to get inside."

"It's probably guarded," he said, "but at the same time, the Imps won't exactly be expecting an infiltration from there. Okay, sounds good. How do I get there?"

Jan posed the question Wee Gee who showed her a path on the holographic image. She, in turn, gave the information to Kyle.

"Okay," he said, "I'll head out in five. Don't know when I'll be able to contact you again, but I'll try."

"We'll be standing by," Jan said.

"Okay."

Realizing that this might be the last time she ever talked to him, Jan suddenly realized she _had_ to say _something._ Just in case.

"Kyle?" she called.

"Yeah?"

"Be careful, okay? Don't… don't get killed, all right?"

"I'll do my best, partner. Talk to you soon."

And with that, the transmission ended.

_You'd better do your best, Katarn_, she thought. _I want you back here and in one piece._

Behind her, Wee Gee gave a tweetling beep. Jan read the translation.

"He will be okay. I am certain of it."

She smiled at the droid.

"Thanks, Wee Gee."

"By the way," the droid said, "I found this a few minutes ago."

The droid held a data pad in one of its arms and Jan's eyes grew wide as she recognized it as her holo novel.

"I had no idea you were such a romantic."

Reaching out, she snatched the data pad away, placing it on the console before her as she glared at Wee Gee.

"Don't push your luck, droid."

* * *

**Planet Sulon**

**Outside the Imperial Base**

Still crouched in his hiding place, Kyle contemplated the massive Imperial base spread out before him.

_Okay, so all I need to do is somehow find this warehouse, get inside and then find wherever Wee Gee is. No problem, do it all the time._

Graveyard whistling aside, the operative knew he was going to have to come up with a plan. Edging carefully out of the place he was in, he approached the lip where the metal floor ended. His gaze took in the angled wall that sloped downwards about ten feet to the lower level, where the ground was mottled white stone that looked very unforgiving should he fall. However, the angled wall gave him an idea. Sitting down, Kyle edged himself over the lip until enough of his weight was shifted forward. Down the wall he went, not unlike a child going down a slide. As he neared the bottom, the operative stuck his feet out, absorbing the shock as he came to a stop. This sent shooting pains up both legs, but nothing he wasn't used to.

Glancing around, he saw a large opening in the building to his left. Its green paint scheme was a dead giveaway of Imperial architecture. All functionality, no taste whatsoever. Moving towards the opening, the operative stepped from sunlight to shadow, grateful for the natural cover to help disguise his approach. He had walked some two hundred yards when an even larger opening appeared on his right. Approaching stealthily, he risked a glanced around the corner. What greeted him was a hexagonally shaped area, bordered by a wide walkway on two sides. Kyle noticed a TIE Bomber was sitting in the middle of the space, with five orange-colored fuel drums sitting nearby. He also spotted the half dozen or so stormtroopers and Imperial officers about as well. He concluded a frontal attack would be suicide, but if he was able to nail one of the fuel drums…

A smile crossed his face as he drew his blaster out. This was going to be a tricky shot, given the distance involved and the reputation of the blaster for less than pinpoint accuracy. Still, if only one shot penetrated a drum…

Staying in the shadows cast by the roof overhead, Kyle dropped to one knee and checked the sights on the blaster, centering them over the middle of the nearest fuel drum, right on the symbol warning users that the substance inside was extremely flammable.

_This shot needs to be perfect. If I miss…_

Visions of what would happen next danced through the operative's mind.

_Okay, Katarn, enough of that. Remember what Rahn said. Stay calm and do this thing._

Checking the sights one more time, Kyle lined up the shot again, making sure his first shot would strike the fuel drum. Then, with a final deep breath, he depressed the trigger.

* * *

Kevster Lyon sat impatiently in the cockpit of his TIE Bomber, waiting for the refueling job to be completed. He wondered for the umpteenth time why he had been selected for this duty, transporting fuel for the base commander to outlying sectors.

_I should be up in space, working with a front line unit, taking on the Rebels. But nooooooo, I'm stuck here. _

His comm crackled.

"TIE X-ray 1937, do you read?"

Kevster sighed. It was the base controller, _again._

"Yes, I'm here."

"Refueling is complete. You're cleared for departure at your discretion."

_About blasted time!!_

"Roger, control. This is X-ray 1937, beginning launch sequence."

The pilot reached to his control board, flipping switches and pushing buttons. The bomber's repulsor grid came on with a low hum, followed by the engines and tactical systems. Although his ship was being used as a cargo vessel, Kevster made sure to follow procedure and power up all his systems, including his weapons. You never knew.

He was just beginning to lift the ship into the air when there was a flash from somewhere off to his left. It was so quick the pilot dismissed it initially, but then more flashes came. And the flashes were a particularly recognizable color.

"Control!" Kevster called into his mike, "this is 1X397, I'm under…"

At that moment, the fuel drum standing some five feet away exploded, the concussion shaking the bomber strongly. A second later, the next nearest fuel drum went up as well and Kevster watched in horror as his windscreen was filled with orange fire. The last thing the pilot heard was the shattering sound of the transparisteel.

* * *

_Nailed 'em!_

Kyle watched in satisfaction as two of the fuel drums went up, the explosion of the second one reaching out to claim the TIE Bomber. Fire and smoke began to fill the space as the remaining fuel drums exploded as well. The Imperials inside the space were caught in a firestorm and obliterated. A wave of heat washed out of the space, causing the operative to gasp for air. He quickly retreated from where he was, until the air became cooler and he was able to breathe without struggling to. Ahead, in the distance was an opening similar to the one he entered the space from. He now headed that way as the fire inside the hexagonal space raged out of control. He was nearly to the opening when two stormtroopers appeared, obviously drawn by the fireworks.

"Drop your weapon!" one called.

_I don't think so, _Kyle thought as he opened fire, striking both Imperials in the chest before they could attack. Moving past the bodies, Kyle edged around the lip of the opening. Before him was a wide open space with absolutely no cover. The next closest building was several hundred yards away and he didn't want to risk it. Instead, he stepped outside and moved along the wall, trying to keep to the shadows. A metal span bridging the gap between the two buildings provided some additional concealment and allowed the operative to get his first up close look of Government House. It was a truly massive structure, its spires reaching hundreds of feet into the sky. The mottled black rock he was near now comprised the equally massive foundation of the building, necessary in order to keep it stable. Kyle was just moving out from under the metal bridge when he heard a sound like a weapon firing.

Quickly, he drew his blaster and looked all about; seeking the attacker, but none appeared. Confused, he was about to holster the weapon when the firing sound came again and the ground nearby exploded. The concussion knocked the operative back and spilled him to the ground as chunks of stone flew over and past him. One smacked his left leg and another ripped into his shoulder, causing him to cry out in pain. He lay there on the ground for several seconds, the metal bridge shading him.

_What in the nine hells was that?_

He sat up, his wounded shoulder protesting the movement. Kyle examined it and found the shirt and undershirt sliced open though the wound itself was not deep. Blood began to seep out. Putting pressure on the spot with his other hand, the operative looked around again for the source of the blast he had just experienced. Again, he saw nothing.

_Something or someone shot at me, I know that for sure. But who, what and more importantly, where?_

Several minutes passed before the wound clotted enough for the bleeding to stop. Rising to his feet gingerly, he tested out his leg and found it responsive, although it did ache a bit. This time, as he moved out from under the shade, he had his blaster out and ready. It was perhaps three seconds later that the firing sound came again. The ground mere inches away exploded, showering the operative with chips of stone. Even as he covered his face with his arms, Kyle's mind was working. He had seen no attacker anywhere around him. So whatever it was had to be coming from somewhere above him. As the shower of debris ended, he looked up.

"Oh, Sithspit!!" he said aloud as the firing sound came again. He quickly dived to his right as the ground he was just standing on exploded. He covered his head with his hands as rocks chips showered him again, his mind crying a warning for him to find cover and fast. For the weapon that was firing down at him was a turbolaser battery, easily capable of vaporizing him with a single blast. Not wanting to present a fresh target, Kyle rolled to his right until he was back in the shade of the metal bridge. Once there, he sat up and contemplated this latest obstacle.

_No wonder I haven't seen many guards. Couple turbolaser emplacements like that one will do just as good as job of discouraging visitors._

That left the question of what to do next. Kyle searched his mind for what he knew of the turbolaser. It was a devastating weapon, the bigger emplacements capable of doing severe damage to large spaceships as well as destroying smaller craft with a single shot. At the same time, turbolasers had a couple of flaws to them. Because they were so big and powerful, they could not fire rapidly. As best as Kyle could remember, the delay between shots was five to six seconds. In addition, turbolasers took several seconds to lock onto their targets. For a space battle, this was little problem. But in this case, the operative felt he might be able to use these two flaws to his advantage. But where to go? He needed to decide that before moving out. Mentally rolling the dice, Kyle decided to go right.

_All right then, here we go._

Rising to his feet, the operative took a series of deep breaths, and then took off at a run. He rounded the corner just at the turbolaser, the shot passing over him and striking the ground behind him. Kyle continued to run, even as the turbolaser continued to fire. He changed directions randomly, knowing it would make it harder for the targeting computer to lock onto him. He was almost to the first building he had entered when it stopped firing.

_Must be beyond its range._

The firing sound came again.

_Oh c'mon!_

Kyle ran in a different direction as the ground nearby was struck, his mind telling him that there must be more than one turbolaser emplacement on the outside of Government House. Dodging the fire from this new emplacement, he ran past the first building he entered and spied a second one nearby. His lungs began to burn as he neared this second one. He also caught sight of a stormtrooper standing inside the building on an upper level. Slowing his rapid pace enough to grab his blaster, Kyle fired. His first few shots went all over the place.

"Drop your weapon!" the stormtrooper called, opening fire. But like Kyle, the Imperial found hitting a moving target difficult and most of his shots missed. Kyle was nearly to the space where the stormtrooper was standing when he suddenly came to a halt and aiming upwards, left off another series of shots. Caught by surprise, the stormtrooper screamed as his chest armor was penetrated. He fell, his armor clattering on the ground. Breathing heavily, Kyle reached up to the lip of the upper level and pulled himself up onto it, sliding back into a shadowy corner, panting. His eyes began to take in the space he was in. It was shaped like an elongated, inverted "V" with him on the left side. It stood to reason that he'd find another opening on the right side as well.

_And probably another stormtrooper,_ he thought.

Just then, he heard a crackling sound from the fallen trooper's body.

"TK-865, status report."

There was a pause.

"TK-865, acknowledge. Are you there?"

The operative briefly considered trying to answer the call, but by the time he got there...

"TK-865, acknowledge!"

Another pause.

"TK-863, acknowledge."

"TK-863 here," came the reply.

_Oh, that's swift, _Kyle thought, _this guy left his comm on an open channel. If his sergeant found out…_

He smiled at a memory of one of his classmates receiving a severe dressing down from a platoon leader for a similar infraction ran across his mind.

"TK-863, have you seen TK-865?"

"Not since coming on duty."

"Check and make sure he's at his post. He's not answering his comm. Report in upon ascertaining his status."

"Acknowledged, TK-863."

The clatter of approaching feet reached Kyle's ears, coming from what he assumed was the right hand part of the "V". And despite the shadowy spot he was in now, it was more likely than not that he'd be spotted. The approaching boots grew louder. Normally, he just blast the trooper, but in this space, the sound of the blaster would be magnified and alert any other nearby Imperials. That's when he remembered the bowcaster. It wasn't much quieter than the blaster, but its shots were more powerful. He took it out and sighted the weapon on where his ears told him the stormtrooper would be coming. The clatter of boots grew even louder and from about 150 yards away, a flash of white armor appeared followed by the rest of the stormtrooper. Kyle waited until the Imperial was fully in sight before pulling the secondary trigger.

The bowcaster bucked mightily in his hands as a single green-white bolt leapt from the muzzle. It struck the stormtrooper in the faceplate, penetrating the armor with ease. Without even the faintest cry, the Imperial's knees buckled and he fell to the ground in a clatter of armor. Breathing a sigh of relief, Kyle made his way over the trooper, searching on his belt until he found the Imperials' comm device. Almost as if cued by his action, a voice issued from the tiny speaker.

"TK-863, report in. Have you made contact with TK-865?"

Pitching his voice low, he spoke.

"Control, this is TK-865. I've made contact with TK-863. He's fine."

"What happened?"

"Looks like a comm malfunction, Control."

_Let's hope he believes me._

A sigh came from the speaker. "Not again. It's the sixth one today. Very well, TK-865. Inform TK-863 to make his hourly reports with you. Understood?"

"Acknowledged, Control. TK-865 out."

As Kyle turned the device off and let it fall to the ground, he smiled almost hysterically, marveling at his good fortune.

_Some days it's just works out, _he thought.

With the immediate problem taken care of, Kyle began to explore the building he was in. A corridor behind where he was led him around a right, then a left hand turn before opening up into a rectangular space. Several loud banging and clanging sounds began to assault his ears. It only took a few seconds for him to recognize the sound.

_Walkers! Sounds like maybe two of 'em._

Kyle knew he needed to be careful here. Although the AT-ST Scout Walker was far less powerful than its larger cousin, the AT-AT, it still boasted good armor and two nasty blaster cannon that'd shred him like so much flimsiplast. But as he edged around the corner of the wall nearest to the space, a smile came to his face as he spotted not only the Walkers but a group of fuel drums arranged near a large elevator that one of the Walkers was standing on. Without further hesitation, he stepped into the open and opened fire. Two stormtroopers and an Imperial officer spotted him and shouted warnings and commands, but the operative ignored them as he held down the trigger of the blaster. Six shots later, he was rewarded with the sight as one of the fuel drums exploded, setting off the one next to it and moments later, the remaining two.

The explosion sent a ball of fire into the space as well as the Walkers. Just audible over the roar was the cries from the two AT-ST pilots as they tried to escape their machines and were incinerated. Both Walkers went off kilter and fell, crashing to the ground. Kyle was high tailing it out of the building just as the power plants of both machines went off, adding to the conflagration. Even as crews rushed to the space, he leapt down to the ground and took off, running towards the next closest building. Unfortunately, this one turned out to have a solid face with no accessways or entrances that were visible. After hiding in the shade long enough to catch, he made a dash for the next one, dodging turbolaser fire the whole way and taking cover behind and under other metal bridges and structures as he went.

A part of his mind said he should try using the Force. Among the lessons Rahn had taught him aboard the _Intrepid_ was how to use the power called Force Speed. But given the situation, his rapid breathing and his jumbled mind, it was all but impossible to concentrate, much less use the Force. Still, the operative kept it in the back of his mind. He had just broken cover and made it past the arc of two more turbolasers when he spotted the next nearest building and an entrance on the far side.

_About time!_

_**Be wary, Kyle. There is danger here.**_

_Huh?_

_**I sense a disturbance in the Force. It is emanating from this place.**_

_I'm in the middle of an Imperial base, Rahn, _Kyle thought back. _What do you expect?_

He heard the old Jedi chuckle in his mind. _**True, but do not dismiss this, Kyle. You have already endured trials that would have killed lesser men. Do not let your guard down now.**_

_All right, _the operative replied tiredly, _I'll be careful. _

It also occurred to Kyle that he was going to have to find a recharging station or something like it soon. All his weapons were quickly becoming depleted. A few more firefights and all he'd have left was his lightsaber. Heeding Rahn's warning, he had his blaster out and ready as he stepped into the opening. At first, all seemed quiet and almost peaceful. Scattered overhead lights allowed him to see his way into the space. He moved past an angled ramp leading upwards and was moving into a room where the part of the ceiling was open, allowing a view of the second level. It was at that point he came to a sudden halt for standing in the room a short distance was better than a dozen stormtroopers.

_You have got to be kidding me!_

All the troopers seemed to notice him at the same time. Blasters came up and one of them called for Kyle to drop his weapon. When he didn't immediately comply, the command changed to an even more definitive one.

"Blast him!"

The operative managed to duck around a corner as an array of crimson bolts reached out for him. Coming around for a few seconds, he managed a few shots before the return fire forced him to retreat.

_This… is not good. _

He swung around again, depressing the blaster's trigger only to have click uselessly.

_Out of ammo!_

Driven back by return fire that was growing more intense as the stormtroopers began to advance, Kyle switched to the repeater rifle. Coming around the corner, he fired and managed to drop two of the troopers before the weapon was exhausted. He switched to the bowcaster on his next attack, but it had less than eight shots left in it. The stormtroopers were drawing closer, the return fire so murderous Kyle feared if he tried another attack, he'd be blasted before he could pull the trigger. He briefly considered the lightsaber, but with his lack of experience with it…

_Could really use some advice here, Rahn. _

_**Kyle, I sometimes wonder if you are heeding my lessons at all.**_

The operative heard the troopers getting closer, less than a half dozen steps now. They were calling to each other.

"Don't let him get away! Continue firing!"

"This is the wrong time for a lecture!" he said aloud..

Unbelievably, he heard Rahn sigh in his mind. _**Kyle, the Force is greater than you realize. Your lack of experience with the lightsaber means nothing if you will allow the Force to flow through you. **_

"And how exactly am I supposed to concentrate enough to access it right now?"

_**You already know the answer to that, my friend. You have done it before.**_

Despite the cacophony of laser fire, Kyle tried to recall a time when he accessed the Force without concentrating first. He couldn't remember.

_**You can do it, Kyle. Trust me.**_

Though his logical mind screamed this made no sense, something in Rahn's voice touched Kyle. He sensed that the old Jedi was speaking the truth. Somehow he could do this.

_Alright then. But if I get killed, it's your fault._

Drawing the lightsaber from his belt, he activated the weapon, the _snap-hiss _barely audible above the blaster fire. With a deep breath, Kyle stepped around the corner.

"There he is!" cried one of the troopers.

"Take him down!" yelled another.

Crimson bolts reached out for him. Kyle held the lightsaber blade out and managed to deflect the first few, but one passed close by his head and another nearly stuck his left leg. He deflected two more shots, but then his right leg was suddenly afire as a laser bolt struck. He screamed, even as he tried to concentrate on deflecting the incoming fire. Another shot hit his left shoulder and ripped the wound there completely open, forcing him to switch the saber to his right hand. The lightsaber hummed and cut the air as he deflected four more shots. But his movements were becoming more sluggish by the second, the pain of his wounds threatening to overwhelm. Another bolt hit his other leg and it was only through a supreme effort that he didn't fall.

_Rahn, _he cried out in his mind, _help me. I can't do this._

_**Yes you can, Kyle. Yes you can.**_

If the Jedi had been there at that moment, Kyle felt as if he would curse him to his face. He hurt so much and just moving the saber to deflect a blaster was taking nearly all his remaining strength.

_I can't do this. I'm not strong enough._

And in that moment, the answer came to him.

_**Yes, Kyle**_, Rahn said, pride in his voice, _**you see it now.**_

The operative realized he had to let go, not relying on his own skill and strength to do this thing. And in the space of a heartbeat, he felt the Force surge into him like a great river. The pain in his aching joints faded to near nothingness. His jumbled mind cleared and he saw through eyes that were not quite his own what to do. His left hand came up and he held the saber once again in a two handed grip. More crimson bolts streamed towards him, but the operative felt only moderate concern. He knew what to do know. The emerald green blade seemed to sing in his hands as he moved it up and out, down and across, deflecting dozens of bolts away, directing some back towards the stormtroopers who screamed in pain as their own blaster fire struck back at them.

_**And now, **_Rahn said, _**go on the offensive. Take the battle to your attackers.**_

Kyle nodded and pushed off with his left foot, running towards the remaining five stormtroopers who continued to fire at him even as the operative slashed and cut. A white armored arm sailed into the air followed by a stab to the chest. It was all over in less than a minute with Kyle standing amidst a collection of corpses.

_I did it._

_**Yes you did, my friend. Well done.**_

He also noticed that he felt only moderate pain from where he had been shot. He was about to ask Rahn when the old Jedi answered his unasked.

_**This is the power of the Force, Kyle. Not only does it aid you in battle, but in healing as well.**_

_But not completely._

_**It can, **_Rahn replied, _**but that is a lesson for another time.**_

Though he didn't completely understand, Kyle accepted what the old Jedi had said. He was about to move when his eyes came to rest on the collection of dead troopers. Strangely, a tinge of regret wormed into Kyle.

_**I sense your remorse, Kyle. And while it causes you pain, it also does you credit.**_

_Credit? How?_

_**One of Master Yoda's principle lessons was that the Jedi use the Force for knowledge and defense, never attack. The regret you feel now is proof that you are becoming one. But you cannot wallow in your feelings either. You have a mission to accomplish. Afterward, we will address this further.**_

_So, do I call you Master _now_?_

_**If you wish, **_**Apprentice**_**. But I see no need for it. **_

Kyle smiled.

_I'd better keep going._

_**Be watchful, Kyle. I still sense danger here.**_

_I understand. _

Extinguishing the saber, Kyle moved out of the room and headed for the next chamber. He wasn't sure what he would find, but he felt ready to deal with it. 


	23. Chapter 23: Battle in the City Part 3

**Kyle Katarn: The Rise & Fall **

**Book 2: Birth of a Jedi **

**Chapter 23: Battle in the City Part 3

* * *

**

A/N: Happy Friday, everyone. Shanesnest here to present the latest chapter of Book 2 of Kyle Katarn: The Rise & Fall: Birth of a Jedi. Sorry this is a week late, but things weren't exactly up to snuff. I got my first cold of the new year, which was all kinds of fun as you can imagine. But I can't complain much. Christmas was awesome and my New Year's was a simple one, but good nonetheless. Hope each of yours was good too! The battle inside Baron's Hed continues and you will see Kyle have his first lightsaber fight in Chapter 24 (working on that scene right now). In the meantime, enjoy the events leading up to it. But before that, let's do them shout outs!

Tinuviel Undomiel: That's wild how that worked out. Well, when you have timing like mine, things like this just manage to happen… oh boy, talk about your delusions of adequacy! Yeah, I thought it made sense for Wee Gee and Jan to be friends. But I agree, if Weeg ever tells Kyle about her reading habits, he's gonna be spare parts! Congrats on your exams! The victory is sweet, is it not? Yeah, we got hammered with snow, and rarely in Virginia do we get snow in December so it was a real surprise. As I write this, we've still got some left as the cold weather had kept it all from melting. So you made a snowman, eh? I may have to send you a certain picture of the snowman my brother and I made years ago, or should I say snow rat? Yep, believe it or not, we made Ricky the Snow Rat, and in the front yard no less!

Nerwen Aldarion: Always glad to bring a good time to you. Yeah, Jan and Wee Gee are working out their relationship, and it's definitely a dysfunctional one! Can you imagine them marrying and arguing over the vows at the altar? Kyle says, "okay, but drop that obey thing." Jan replies, "oh you're gonna be obeying, Katarn, just wait and see!" Y'know, I debated about Jan and the romance novel, but she's a tough girl type, I wanted her to have a bit of a girly side and this seemed like a good way to show it. Yep, Wee Gee telling Kyle about Jan's reading choice = scrapped Wee Gee! The scene last chapter was a bit weird to write. I liked having Kyle go Dark Side, but I wanted to work it so he was a bit more in control this time.

Manus Dei: Yeah, stormtrooper armor reminds me of the wicker you can get a Pier 1. Looks great, but doesn't stand up to anything! Kyle's part duck… okay, I admit I slipped on that one. Maybe I _will_ have him get a cold, it might be fun!

Darth Red Chap 8: Kyle is rather unique in that he more or less has to learn about being a Jedi on his own. Not dissimiliar from Luke, but Kyle's a much different personality. Yeah, I don't imagine the Empire is long on clean water.

Darth Red Chap 9: You're probably right. When I was doing that scene, that's how it came to me. Oh well. Hey how about this? Stormtrooper: Hey, you got some lightsaber on my armor! Ew!

Mach Farcon: Thank you as always. Glad you like the Jan/Wee Gee stuff. Y'know I don't think Wee Gee knows that. Never thought about it before. Congrats on your fic and thanks for the kind words about my mom. She is doing well, the cancer appears to be gone for good, God willing.

Darth Red Chap 11: I know I've taken Kyle along quickly with the Force powers, but I've imagined it that his Dark Side tendencies give him a leg up on say, Luke's progress. Valid point nonetheless. I may have to consider such a scene. It'd be way funny!

Phygmalion Chap 1: Welcome back, my friend! Delightful to hear from you again! Hey believe me, as a veteran of two bachelor's degrees, I know all too well the demands of college. My pleasure to give you the cameo and glad you liked it!

Phygmalion Chap 2: I always wondered what that thing was too! And like you said, why only one? So I decided to make up a reason for it! Paragon of fashion? Ah yes, ladies and gentleman coming down the ramp is Kyle, fetching in the single shoulderpad design for the roving spacer. Man, I've got too active of an imagination sometimes! You're dead on right! I figured I didn't want to duplicate the game script word for word, so as you said, I put my own spin on it. The age thing was a real debate with me. I'm not even sure 23 is right. I basically chose it at random.

Phygmalion Chap 7 & 8: Yeah, my problem with the bowcaster was how you can't really fire rapidly with it. And it definitely is a power drainer, but one good shot and bye bye Tusken! Wow, thank you so much for such a nice compliment! This one really made my day when I read it! Very much appreciated! Oh yeah, Kyle has awakened, and things are gonna get real good!

Phygmalion Chap 11: I might have to do that! Not only does Kyle have to use a cane, but one with flames on it! That'd be cool! You're the second to comment that I'm taking him along a bit fast on Force powers so I may have to consider that. And as for the meditation sessions, I've been trying to make them as mystical as I can, but a drug trip? That'd be wild! Jan knocks on door: Kyle, what's that smell? Kyle trying to cast away smoke: "Nothing, nothing at all! I'm fine!" Yeah, I pretty much went Light Side when playing this game. I just hated how the really cool Force powers were Dark Side ones!

Phygmalion Chap 16: Yeah, the Jan/Vinial thing was definitely a blunder on my part. Fortunately, my excellent group of reviewers clued me in before I took things too far. And yeah, Jan laid the smackdown on Vinial for sure! More Vinial appearances? Well, maybe. I'm still thinking about it. Well shoot, I sent you the invite and everything! You get what I'm doing with Jan and Kyle perfectly. They're both a couple of alpha dogs who are learning to reach out to each other and be vulnerable.

Phygmalion Chap 17: I knew it! I was pretty sure lightsabers could work underwater and now it's confirmed. Now, Phygmalion, you have no idea what a lift I got after reading this. Writing this story isn't always easy and I have to a fair amount of Internet research for scenes so they'll work right plus playing scenes in the game so I can describe them accurately. It's hard work, but when I read something like this, it makes every bit of effort worth it. Thank you very much!

Phygmalion Chap 19: It's definitely a complex mission! I've learned that if nothing else writing these scenes! I agree with you about the citadel missions, particularly the part after Kyle fights Yun. It's like, jeez, could they have made that any crazier or harder?! I like the repeater too, machine gunning down troopers! Boo-yah!

Phygmalion Chap 20: Part of that I drew from Star Wars lore and also a class I took on Middle Eastern religions as well as a couple message from my pastor on dealing with emotions. One of the things that bugged me about the Jedi in Episodes 1-3 is how they tried to deny their emotions while the Dark Side types all but abandoned themselves to theirs. I mean, if you're human, you're gonna have emotions! So learn to deal with them, 'cause denying 'em ain't gonna work! Wee Gee is perfect for comedy relief and I plan to keep using him for such!

Phygmalion Chap 22: Well, think about this way. Who in Security would imagine a lone operative trying to infiltrate the base? It probably never crossed their minds and so Kyle can take full advantage of that. Hey no complaints here! I was the one who took two years to finish the first book! I'd rather you focus on college and do well there. God willing, I ain't going anywhere. Your reviews have been a delight to read and have uplifted me more than once.

A/N: Whew! Two whole pages of shout outs! Probably a record for me! Well then, my friends, I leave you with the new chapter and look forward to your comments and reviews!

* * *

**Planet Sulon**

**Inside the city of Barons Hed**

**The Imperial Base**

Our greatest foes, and whom we must chiefly combat, are within – Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra

As the final stormtrooper fell in a clatter of white-coated armor, Kyle closed down his lightsaber and stopped to allow himself time to recover his breath. No sooner had he finished dealing with the one group of troopers than he had run into another large group in a similarly shaped chamber opposite the one he had just come from. The troopers had turned on him en masse, their blasters streaming red death reaching out towards the operative. But the Force sang in his mind like a perfect stream of music as he ignited the lightsaber and used it to deflect the blaster bolts away. Up, down, across and back, the saber blade moved, slicing through the different axis to deflect any shot that came too close. Stormtroopers cried out in pain and began to fall as deflected shots penetrated their armor.

All this _did_ take some effort. Using the Force did not seem to absolve the operative of employing his own strength as part of things. Sweat began to trickle down from his head as he worked the lightsaber. A part of Kyle thought he might hear from Rahn as these thoughts went through his mind, but the old Jedi was, so far, silent. Now, with the last of this second group of Imperials taken out, Kyle moved about the bodies and gathered what usable items he could manage to find, including several blaster power packs. It helped replenish his dwindled ammunition supply, but he still needed to recharge his shield as well as his other weapons.

_Not to mention fining 8t88, _he thought.

He moved through the corpse-strewn chamber and was just coming around the corner when his eyes caught movement. In a flash, his clasped hands rose, holding the shining saber. But instead of the dull white gleam of stormtrooper or the flash of incoming of incoming laser fire, the operative instead saw something he did not expect to. A dull gray metal body lead up to a human-looking face dominated by a breath screen assembly where a mouth normally would be and two-gleaming yellowish eyes. Spindly arms hung from the solid-looking trunk. The remainder of the droid was covered by an off-white apron that covered its lower half.

_What the heck is a droid doing here?_

"How may I help you, sir?" it suddenly asked.

Kyle nearly jumped when the droid spoke. Not only was it here, but it appeared to be operational. He closed down the lightsaber and returned it to his belt as the droid repeated its question.

"Umm… I… what kind of droid are you?"

"A medical droid, sir," it answered.

The operative considered this. It _did_ make sense to have a medical droid on site. He formed his next question as the machine waited patiently.

"Um… can you scan me and see if I need… repair?"

"Of course, sir," the droid said, its tone sounding almost prideful. "Please hold still a moment."

The operative complied as a yellow-gold beam emerged from the droid's chest and washed over him. It took perhaps thirty seconds before the beam vanished and the droid spoke again.

"I do not detect severe trauma or injury. However, there are numerous cuts, contusions and abrasions. May I render treatment?"

A part of Kyle questioned the wisdom of this. Granted, this was a medical droid, but it was an _Imperial_ medical droid. Who knew what it might inject into him or otherwise do to his body? Still… he could use the healing…

"All right," he said, "go ahead."

"Yes, sir," it replied, "it will just be a few moments."

The droid's thin arms rose as it went to work. Kyle tensed as the droid touched him, but felt his fear dissipate as he found the machine was very gentle. A cooling sensation enveloped his arms, shoulders, face and legs as the droid sprayed a chemical on his wounds. Five minutes later, it withdrew its arms and spoke again.

"I have done what I can, sir. But some of the injuries will require additional attention. I recommend you make an appointment at the base medical facility at your earliest opportunity."

Kyle found himself wondering what the droid meant. He felt… great. He moved his body experimentally and had not the slightest twinge of pain. He smiled at the droid.

"I'll do that, and thanks."

"My pleasure, sir," the droid said.

Stepping away, Kyle shook his head, marveling at how things just worked out some times. Minutes passed as he searched the rest of the lower level, finding no more stormtroopers. That left the upper level. He approached one of the upward sloping ramps and gazed up it. The wall at the top of the ramp was similar in design and color to the ones on the lower level. He listened intently for several seconds, but could not detect the presence of any additional troopers.

_It can't be this easy, _he thought, mounting the ramp. Arriving at the top, he edged around the corner, blaster held in his left hand, his right gripping the lightsaber, ready to activate it at a moment's notice. But as he came all the way around, he spotted the same featureless, gray-black walls as the lower level. The wall before him divided the path into left and right halves. He chose the right hand one after a moment and had gone perhaps a dozen steps when the path opened up into a large orb-like chamber. The opening in the center of the space matched the one he had seen from below. More importantly, a half dozen stormtroopers were clustered around the edge, some looking down.

_Bet they're looking for me._

He took a deep breath and reached out to the Force. It answered his mental call and his thumb slid over the activation button for the lightsaber, he felt the power fill him, preparing him for battle. The _snap-hiss _echoed in the space, causing the troopers to turn in his direction.

"Drop your weapon!" one cried.

When the operative didn't immediately comply, the troopers opened fire. Gripping the lightsaber hilt with both hands, he held the blade out in front of him. Then, as the troopers watched, the emerald beam began to move, crossing over, up, around and down as it deflected shot after shot. The confused Imperials nonetheless pressed their attack. And then, one of the white-suited figures cried out as a deflected shot penetrated his helmet. He fell moments before a second trooper was hit in the chest. This one toppled over the edge, dropping down until he hit the floor below with a sickening crunch. Kyle continued to move with perfect, precise steps, allow the Force to guide his movements, hearing the "spang" sound as blaster bolts struck the lightsaber blade and were deflected away. Finally, the last trooper fell in a heap of armor.

He was just about to advance when the Force cried a sudden warning. He spun, the emerald green blade swinging up just in time to deflect a point blank shot away from his face. Before the Imperial Commander who stood before him could finish reacting, Kyle swung the beam, cutting the man from shoulder to waist. The Imperial's face assumed a stunned expression moments before he fell. Stepping away from the body, feeling a bit grossed out at the sight, Kyle passed through the orb-like chamber and checked the space beyond, finding no more attackers. He was beginning to feel a bit better now, thinking that they were no more troopers here. But as he entered the second orb-like chamber, his hopeful thoughts were crushed by cold, hard fact as a collection of nearly a dozen stormtroopers opened up on him. The Force answered his call once again and he began deflecting the blaster shots away, sending some back to strike the troopers.

But then one of the officers opened up with a repeating blaster, sending a lightning stream of shots at the operative. He moved the saber blade to deflect them, the first shots striking with incredible force, far stronger than the Imperial blaster rifles. Kyle backed up a step, trying to brace himself against the incoming fire. He almost had it when a second repeating blaster opened up and now the operative found himself forced to contend with double the firepower. The lightsaber blade seemed equal to the task, but Kyle found himself forced back another step, then another. No matter how quickly he moved the blade or how many shots he deflected, the incoming fire was just too strong. No matter how he called to the Force, he couldn't gain ground on the enemy. The Imperials began to advance towards him sending a nearly continuous stream of blaster fire. Kyle moved back two more steps, sweating heavily now.

_This… is not going well._

A quick glance behind showed the operative that he had perhaps another half dozen steps before he'd be up against the wall and have nowhere else to retreat. He needed to come up with a plan, and fast. It was then that, unbidden, that a memory replayed itself in his mind. He remembered a senior level tactics class he had been in while at the Academy. The instructor was a no-nonsense type who all the students found overly grim.

* * *

"This point is important," he had intoned, "there will be times when you are either outnumbered or outgunned. What is your reaction?"

One of Kyle's classmates raised his hand. "Call for backup?"

"Assume backup is not available."

"Charge at 'em," said another, a smirk on his face, "and waste the lot."

This comment brought a low of rumble of laughter. But the instructor did not join in. He merely stared at them, his expression unchanging.

"You know," he said when the laughter had died down, "with each new class, I have made a wager of sorts with General Mohc that none of my students will not say such a obviously stupid thing in class. And in all my years, I have yet to win that bet. This class is no exception."

That grins and snickers died away as the teacher glared at the class for several seconds before making his next point.

"You charge the enemy _only_ when you have numerical superiority. Any other situation will more than likely result in your death."

"Sir?" Kyle asked, raising his hand.

"Yes, Cadet Katarn?"

"In the situation you mentioned, what _is_ the correct choice then?"

"Retreat."

"Sir?"

"You heard me, Cadet. As long as the battlefield permits it and you're outnumbered or outgunned, retreat."

"And be branded cowards?" another student interjected, "no way! I'd rather die than surrender!"

A low chorus of agreement swept the room. The teacher let this go on for a few moments, and then spoke loud enough to be heard above the other voices.

"Cadet Ilson, if you interrupt me again, you can spend the rest of the month on kitchen duty. Am I understood?"

The teacher's eyes swept the room as the buzz of conversation cut off. He waited to see if anyone else would speak and when no one did, he continued.

"Now, I will finish my point. Retreat is the best course of action because it forces the enemy to follow you. In large groups, this will not work well, but a single stormtrooper can make this work. And then, as you retreat, formulate your next plan for attack. Do you understand?"

The cadet who had made the "charge at them" comment raised his hand. "Sir, you mean set a trap?"

The faintest of smiles came to the instructor's face.

"Exactly. Force the enemy to fight on your terms."

* * *

The instructor had gone on to explain further, but the meat of the lesson was something Kyle realized he could use now. Switching the lightsaber to one hand and backing up another step, he reached to his belt and retrieved a thermal detonator. Arming the device, he threw it underhand, sending it bouncing and rolling towards the troopers. Those closest saw the silvery orb and called a warning. The incoming fire slackened as the troopers worked to get away from the detonator. It blew a second later, filling the space with smoke and flame. Kyle took advantage of the momentary distraction to deactivate the saber, turn and flee. Streaks of fire reached for him, but missed. And by the time the smoke had cleared, the troopers found the intruder missing.

"Spread out!" called one of the officers," he hasn't had enough time to escape this place so he's likely hiding somewhere near."

Dividing the group into two man squads, the officer deployed them and the Imperials began to search for the intruder. One group moved to the other large circular opening, finding the bodies of their fellow soldiers.

"Blasted Reb must've got 'em," one of the troopers commented.

"But where is he?" offered the second.

"Right here," said a third voice.

Both troopers looked up just in time to see the crimson bolts of a blaster that lanced down into them. Lying on the ground on the second floor, Kyle watched them fall. He moved to the opposite opening and used his blaster to eliminate two more. He was just rising to his feet when he heard a voice yell from close behind him.

"Drop your weapon!" it said.

_Not likely, _Kyle thought.

Instead, he reached out to the Force and felt its power flow into him. Gripping his blaster in his right hand, he reached for the saber with the other and as the officer called to him again. At the same time, he shifted his weight and spun on the ball of his right foot, bringing the saber around even as he activated it. The emerald green shaft formed a meter long barrier in front of him as the officer and trooper opened up. But with only the two of them, Kyle was easily able to deflect the incoming fire. And then, raising his right hand, he fired, catching the trooper in the chest. The officer saw this and with a snarl on his face, turned back to Kyle. The operative wasn't sure why he did it, but he smiled at other man. This seemed to incense the Imperial and he charged Kyle, firing all the way, a cry of rage escaping his lips. He made it perhaps a half dozen steps before a laser bolt sliced into his neck. He fell forward, crashing to the floor and sliding forward a bit before coming to rest. Kyle inhaled deeply and exhaled slowly, glad to have won the battle, but also feeling drained. He hoped there were no more Imperials in this place and after searching the rest of the building, confirmed this was so. It was just him and a bunch of corpses. He found an exit opposite of the place he had come in and several meters beyond, the cargo bay door opening Jan had told him about.

But given what he had just been through, the operative decided to let himself have a short break. With his weapons stowed, he investigated the building a bit more deeply, coming to the conclusion that it functioned as some kind of staging area for the stormtroopers stationed here. But it was his exploration of the second floor that yielded an even greater reward. Situated roughly in the middle of the space, Kyle found two hallways of alcoves and bench-like setups upon which were stored all matters of weapons and equipment. The operative found himself grinning like a fool as he moved from space to space, checking out what was there and taking the useful items. Twenty minutes passed before he sat down for one last break and also to marvel at his good fortune. Not only had he found more than enough gear to recharge all of his weapons to full power, but he had been able to jury rig a blaster and had recharged his shield to 50%.

_Not exactly perfect, _he mused, but it would do. Feeling much more confident that before, he moved to the exit he found and viewed the cargo bay door ahead of him. There weren't any guards visible, but Kyle knew better than to assume they weren't around just because he couldn't see them. Still, he had to go. Closing his eyes, he concentrated and reached out to the Force. It answered his call and pushing off on his right foot, he took off, running at an incredible speed. The surface of the base of Government House flashed past him, the space where the cargo bay door was getting closer by the second. He broke stride about a dozen paces away and jogged the rest of the way. Sure enough, there it was, just waiting for him. But any further excitement died away a second later as the operative saw the opening went on for about a foot or so before it was completely blocked off.

_What the…?_

He reviewed the conversation with Jan in his mind and took another look around. This matched the place she had described, so how come he couldn't get in? Reaching for his belt, he was about to call his partner and give her an earful when he spotted the structure opposite of where he was. At first, it looked no different from the other gray metal buildings he had seen. But then he noticed a structure midway between the two large buildings and a wide chunk of metal of the same color as the one before him now. He also noticed an AT-ST standing atop the ramp crossing between the two large buildings. His mind worked on it for a moment before giving him the answer.

_Of course, that's gotta be it!_

Although the operative could not see it fully to confirm his conclusion, there was a large opening several meters above him, the hangar for the Scout Walkers. The two metal ramp sections provided an accessway for the Walkers to leave the hangar and go out on patrol. When not in use, they were kept stowed, which was also why the operative could not access the opening before him. This entreated the question of how to get the ramp sections in place. On a hunch, Kyle took off at a run towards the two buildings opposite of where he was. He had just reached them and was in their shade of the ramp above him when he noticed the open doorways in both buildings. He nodded, the situation making sense to him now. Both openings likely lead to stations where they were controls to extend the ramp sections. Kyle headed for the closer of the two, surprised to not find any Imperials guarding the entrance. He moved up a low ramp into the room, finding another open doorway and standing inside, an Imperial officer with a stormtrooper standing just behind him.

"Are you certain you saw something, trooper?" the Imperial was saying.

"I'm certain sir."

"Well, where is he now?" the officer asked, disbelief in his voice.

"Right here," Kyle said, raising his blaster and shooting both men before they could fully turn around. Stepping over the bodies, he surveyed the room they were in. Several banks of computers greeted him, but what got the operative's attention was a gun-metal gray switch in the middle of a panel.

_This oughta be it, _he thought, pulling the lever down. A second passed and then the sound of a massive gear mechanism echoed in the small space. Looking out the small transparisteel window, Kyle saw the section of ramp closest to him begin to extend. However, there was no movement from the opposite side. This puzzled him for a moment until he considered the other doorway opposite this one. Nodding to himself, he moved outside and over to the other station. The stormtrooper here saw his approach and a brief gun battle ensued until Kyle nailed the Imperial with a head shot. But the officer inside was more clever and opened up with his blaster from the relative safety of the small room where the second switch was. He and Kyle exchanged shots until the operative managed a bank shot off the lip of the doorway with a thermal detonator. There was a brief, but fairly loud scream as it went off and the officer's body landed just outside the doorway. Stepping over it while trying not to look at the mess the detonator had made, Kyle found the switch he was looking for. But looking outside, he saw the closest ramp had retracted itself.

_Must be on a timer, _he reasoned, _and this one probably is too. _

The operative considered how best to address this problem and moments later, came up with an answer. However, his timing would have to be very precise. Reaching out to the Force, he took a number of deep breaths, preparing himself. And then, reaching for the switch, he pulled the lever, not looking to see the result as he ran out of the room and headed for the other, arriving there in a few seconds, triggering the other switch. Running back outside, he saw the two ramp sections moving towards each other.

_Now!_

He took off towards the doorway across the way, arriving in less than ten seconds. The blocked opening was now open, displaying an angled ramp leading upwards. Kyle ran up it and found himself in an open space. The walls, ceiling and floor were all comprised of the same dull gray stone, notched in places to make it look like separate blocks. Ahead of Kyle was a box like structure with a low, but wide rectangular opening in it. The Imperial Officer inside called for the operative to halt before opening fire. Kyle took the first hit on his shield knocking the power level down to 40% before he was able to aim his own blaster and shoot the attacker dead. Moving forward, Kyle came around the left side of the blockhouse, finding a door on the rear. The inside was much the same as the outside, dull gray stone, broken only by a small desk, a switch just like the ones Kyle used to get in here, the body of the Imperial and a strange orange-red cylinder sitting in the corner. Curious, he picked up the cylinder and studied it. There were few markings on it except for some tiny script that he was just able to read.

"Mega power pack," he said aloud, wondering what exactly it meant.

_Well, _he thought, _why not try it out?_

A part of Kyle's mind warned him this was dangerous, trying something new without checking it out first. But he decided to anyway. Disengaging the power pack from his blaster, he found the cylinder fit neatly into the space and also the power display which normally glowed with a dull red now showed bright yellow numbers. Wondering what this might mean, Kyle checked the rest of the room, but found nothing of interest. Stepping out of the blockhouse, he noticed something ahead of where he was. Stepping closer, he saw that, about six feet away was another room. However, this one was markedly different, dark inside, except for an alcove directly ahead that was light brightly, and a deep red light on the metal steps leading up to it. Intrigued, but also cautious, Kyle moved towards the space, senses alert for the slightest hint of danger. Getting closer, he noticed similar steps to the left and right, suggesting other alcoves. He moved into the space where it was darkest and had just spied the other two alcoves when better than twenty stormtroopers moved into view, shouting at him to surrender and drop his weapon. Before Kyle could even think about reaching for the lightsaber, crimson fire began to pour from either side, trapping him in a crossfire. He rocked back and forth as his shield was hit multiple times, the power indicator dropping fast. Knowing there was no time to get to the lightsaber, Kyle leapt forward and into the alcove in front of him. The crimson bolts began to move, tracking towards him. But the leap had given him a few precious seconds, enough to raise the blaster and open fire.

Expecting the usual kick, Kyle was stunned to feel the weapon practically leap in his hands as laser fire shot from it at a fantastic speed. The stormtroopers defiant calls turned into screams of agony as multiple lances of red fire struck them. Fighting to hold onto the weapon, Kyle moved it across the groups of troopers, sending a field of crimson at them. Less than a minute passed before the last one fell in a clatter of armor. Letting go of the trigger, Kyle stared at his blaster in amazement.

_What in space just happened?_

He studied the blaster readout and saw there were perhaps a dozen shots left, but then the display flashed once, twice and finally went dark. Kyle tried experimentally pulling the trigger, but got no response. Ejecting the power pack, he saw that the orange-red color had faded substantially; the cylinder almost dark now. Mentally making a note to ask Jan about this, he discarded it and placed a fresh power pack in the weapon. A check of the space he was in found it was little more than a dead end, aside from the several power packs he collected from the blasters of the now deceased stormtroopers.

_Well, _he thought, _this is just great. Nice job, Jan. You practically led me into a trap. _

Kyle felt his anger rising. This mission was turning into one big debacle and now it seemed that his partner was going to be of no help at all, having led him to this place. For a moment, he entertained the notion of calling her on the comm and telling her to come get him, that he wasn't going any further. But he knew she'd want an explanation and he wasn't really prepared to give one right now. A part of his mind even wondered if Jan had done this on purpose. But he quickly discarded that notion as pure foolishness. Calming down a little, Kyle thought back over their conversation.

_Jan could've been wrong, but there's no way Weeg would've guided me unless there's a way inside. Maybe I'm missing something._

And then the operative remembered the switch in the blockhouse, just like the ones in the other buildings.

_You don't suppose…?_

Moving out of the alcove and down the hallway, he approached the blockhouse and stepped inside, finding the switch right away. With a crossing of the fingers, he pulled it. The sound of the gear mechanism came again and looking outside the blockhouse, Kyle saw the section of the ramp here was extending. He stepped outside and looked intently.

_Yes!_

Not only was this section extending, but so was the other, allowing the operative a path to allow him to get out of this space. The only problem was that, on the other side, he would be on top of the buildings, out in the open, completely exposed, with no cover whatsoever. He considered the wisdom of this, but reasoned after a few seconds that it was the last things the Imperials would be expecting. He ran across the ramp and got to the other side just as the sections parted and began retracting. Standing there, Kyle surveyed the scene before him, knowing he'd need to move soon. Before him, he saw the notched, squared surface that formed the roofs of the various buildings around the perimeter of Government House. He decided to turn left and move that way, hoping to find another ramp to let him inside the main building. Jogging that way, Kyle heard the sound of a weapon firing, a familiar sound. Looking to his left, he saw the turbolaser turrets that he had seen earlier when on the ground attempting to track him. But given the distance and his near constant movement, the shots were fairly inaccurate.

_Well, at least something's going my way,_ he thought. He had just rounded one corner of the building when the sight before him brought the operative skidding to a stop. Perhaps ten to twenty feet away was a Scout Walker and to Kyle's horror, he realized it was coming his way. And in that moment, it was as if his mind came to a complete stop. Eyes stared, processing the images flowing onto retinas, his other senses processing data and feeding information to his brain, but none of it seemed to matter, for Kyle was staring his own death right in the face. Standing nearly 30 feet tall, with spindly-looking legs leading down to a pair of massive footpads and topped with an equally massive and boxy cockpit, the AT-ST sported twin heavy laser cannons and pair of concussion missile launchers designed for destroying troop formations and other small scale defenses. But in this case, any one of its weapons would be more than enough to reduce the operative Kyle to little more than dust. He could see no way to defeat it.

_**You must attack it, Kyle.**_

He heard Rahn's voice in his mind and understood the words, but there seemed little more than foolishness to him. Attack an AT-ST? Only a fool would try such a thing.

_**Or a Jedi, **_Rahn corrected.

Kyle was surprised to hear himself answering the old Jedi.

_There's no way. I can't beat that thing._

_**Yes, you can, Kyle. You have the weapon to do so already.**_

Somehow, he understood what Rahn meant.

_You can't mean the lightsaber. Look Rahn, it's great during battle, but against a Walker… there's just no way._

_**Size matters nothing to a Jedi, Kyle. You feel the Force. Seek it out and you will find you can.**_

Something in the old Jedi's voice told Kyle that this was the truth. But still…

_All right, _Kyle decided, _I'll try._

_**Do not **_**try, **_**Kyle. You must **_**do**_** this or you will fail and die.**_

_Gee, thanks for the pep talk, Rahn._

_**Concentrate, Kyle. See the machine, see it in the Force. Then, you will know what to do.**_

With the Walker drawing closer by the second, Kyle felt that this action was no better than suicide. But when he considered Rahn's words…

He closed his eyes and called to the Force, at the same time visualizing the Walker. An image of the machine appeared in his mind. And as Kyle watched, the image rotated, showing him a space on the machine, a space that he could use to defeat.

_I… I think I see it. _

_**Then go, **_Rahn said, _**trust in the Force.**_

Still feeling a great deal of concern, Kyle nonetheless drew the lightsaber from his belt, the weapon activating with a _snap-hiss_. He began to take a step forward, but something told him to stay where he was. Still some distance away, the Walker moved ponderously forward, coming to a halt about six feet away. Kyle watched as its blaster cannon swiveled towards him and with a loud sound, fired. Feeling as if he were staring into his death, Kyle forced himself to listen to the Force and secure his footing as he moved the saber into a guard position. When the massive twin lances of light struck the emerald green beam, Kyle felt the tremendous force behind them, trying to push past the saber and reach him.

But he resisted, not giving any ground, teeth grinding together as he fought against the laser blast. And then, with a loud "shing" sound, the Walker's laser fire was deflected away. The voice in his mind called insistently, now!

Pushing off, Kyle ran towards the Walker, passing under the arc of it blaster cannons and missile launchers, moving behind the pair of articulated legs. Sliding to a stop, he turned and raised the saber over his shoulder before guiding it forward with all his strength. The emerald beam sliced in the metal of the Walker's legs, gouging a small rent in them. Drawing the blade back, Kyle slammed it forward again, cutting into the gray armor.

* * *

"Where is he?" called the pilot.

"I don't know," replied the copilot, "he was just in front of us a moment ago."

"And what was he holding? It sure wasn't a blaster."

The copilot shook his head. "No idea. That blast should've killed him."

"You're right," the pilot said, "and now where…"

Suddenly, the cockpit gave a sharp jolt.

"What was that?" the pilot called.

"Hang on," said the copilot, checking his instruments. As the cockpit jolted again, he turned back to the pilot, a look of concern on his face. "Don't ask me how, but that guy's behind us and is hacking at the legs of this thing with some kind of glowing blade."

"Glowing blade?" the pilot echoed.

"We'd better call this in," the copilot said, hands reaching for the comm system.

But just then, the cockpit gave an even more severe jolt.

* * *

Kyle heard the explosion before he saw it as the saber blade slide into leg once again, severing part of the connection to the hydraulic system and generating a feedback loop. All this time, he had hacked away at the Walker's armor, turning with it, staying behind the machine and away from its weapons. And now, his attack seemed to have born fruit.

From somewhere above, a hatch opened and two men climbed out, moving down the sides of the Walker before dropping the rest of the way to the ground. As they recovered and got to their collective feet, both spotted the operative. Drawing blasters from their belts, they were about to fire when Kyle rushed forward, saber blade humming loudly as it sliced into the two Imperials. Both fell even as the Walker standing above began to weave drunkenly. Kyle quickly moved away as the machine attempted to stabilize itself, teetered and fell with a loud crash of metal and glass. The operative stared at it almost unbelievingly.

_Well, they say the bigger they are, the harder they fall._

_**There is great truth in that statement, my friend. And now, I believe you have a mission to continue.**_

With the way ahead clear now, Kyle started off, using the Force to augment his speed. Turbolaser emplacements attempted to track him, but their blasts were always a few seconds behind him. And it was even as one of the emplacements that Kyle noticed how close the edge of the metal roof he was running on came towards the open corner where one of the turbolasers was. He mentally judged the distance and came to the conclusion that he might be able to clear it, but if he didn't… it was a long fall.

At the same time, it wasn't like he was seeing any other way into the building. Slowing his pace a little, Kyle gauged where the closest corner was and angled for it, now running at top speed. He was perhaps one pace from the edge of the metal roof when he pushed off, angling his body up and out. About midway through the jump, he felt himself beginning to descend, his mind screaming a warning that he wasn't going to make it. And then his right foot struck the rough permacrete of the landing and he fell forward, instinctively using his arms to shield his face as he to rotate himself and take the brunt of the impact on his back. He hit with stunning force, but also with the grateful realization that he _had_ made it. But even as he laid there, body aching from the force of the impact, the turbolaser emplacement, now no more than a few feet away, opened up. The first blast struck near his feet and while the operative felt lucky for that, he knew the second shot wouldn't miss. He had to do something to defend himself or it was all over.

Without really thinking about it, he reached to his belt and drew out the lightsaber. The emerald blade shone into existence just as the turbolaser emplacement fired. A streak of light flew towards him and struck the lightsaber blade. The force of the impact was the strongest Kyle had encountered. His muscles practically thrummed with tension as he worked to resist the incoming fire. And then with a "shing" sound, the blast was deflected away and to the operative's astonishment, flew right back and struck the turbolaser emplacement. It fired again and Kyle deflected this blast too, again somehow directing it back towards the ceiling mounted weapon. Two more shots were fired and reflected back. And as the second of them hit, the turbolaser began to spin wildly, it barrels moving up and down, firing indiscriminately. This went on for perhaps ten seconds until the entire emplacement exploded in a ball of fire. Kyle coughed as a pall of smoke enveloped him, obscuring his vision. When it cleared, he could see the turbolaser was gone; all that remained was a blackened hole in the ceiling.

_Did I do that?_

It took several seconds before he realized that, yes, he had done it. A smile came to his face as he stared at the space where the turbolaser had been and then at the lightsaber. This ancient weapon was proving to be a lot more than he could have ever expected.

_Okay, Katarn, _he told himself, _stay focused. _

Moving out of sight from the open corner of the building, Kyle could see a hallway behind him, composed of a dull dark gray permacrete. Up ahead, he could see where the hallway ended in another featureless wall. He decided to follow it and see where the passage brought him. He moved up it slowly, stowing the lightsaber and pulling out his blaster. The hallway opened up at the other end, the wall angling out to either side. Corridors branched out to either side and aside from the operative; no one else appeared to be there.

_Good a time as any, _he thought.

Crouching in a corner which allowed him a view so that he'd see anyone coming before they'd see him, Kyle pulled out his communicator.

"Katarn to _Moldy Crow. _Come in. Repeat, Katarn to _Moldy Crow, _do you read me?"

* * *

**Planet Sulon**

**Outside the city of Barons Hed**

**The **_**Moldy Crow**_

Jan woke to the insistent and loud beeping of Wee Gee.

"What? Who?"

She rubbed her eyes, trying to clear the sleep from them.

Wee Gee beeped all the louder.

"Okay, okay!"she said, "I'm up! What's wrong?"

She turned in her seat to look at the droid and felt herself snap awake.

"You're sure, then?"

Wee Gee gave a confirming beep.

"Blast!" Jan said, knitting her brows together in frustration, "All right then, receive the signal. I'll tell him what's going on."

Wee Gee complied and a few seconds, Jan heard Kyle's voice issue from the speakers and despite her irritation, she felt glad to hear his voice again.

"… to _Moldy Crow. _Come in, _Moldy Crow._"

"_Moldy Crow_ here," she answered.

"Jan, I've made it inside Government House. I'm still…"

She cut him off. "Kyle, we have a problem."

There was a pause and then, "What problem?"

She sighed.

"Wee Gee thinks the Imps have picked up on your signal."

"Impossible," he said.

"That's what we thought," Jan answered, "but Wee Gee detected a second carrier on your last transmission. Analysis of the signal has confirmed it's Imperial."

"So they're listening right now."

"I'm afraid so."

There was another, longer, pause.

"Okay then, I'll end transmission. Just be ready in case I need you later."

"I will," she said with emphasis, "good luck and be careful."

"You too partner," he said.

And then he was gone.

Jan slumped in her seat, feeling worried, angry, dejected and a whole host of other feelings. A part of her wanted to raise ship right now and go get Kyle. But he had said he was inside the main building. And if he found 8t88…

"Wee Gee?"

The droid responded.

"We'll give him six more hours and then Imps or no, we're signaling him. Understood?"

Wee Gee didn't protest.

* * *

As Kyle returned the now deactivated comm to his belt, he shook his head. How was it that the Imps had found a way to break into their comm signal? After a moment, the answer came to him.

8t88.

The droid had been able to contact the _Intrepid_ using a coded frequency before. So it wasn't that much of a stretch that the droid had clued the Imperials into this one as well. The only question that remained was how did 8t88 know Kyle and Jan were here? The operative puzzled over this for a moment, then decided that the best way to find the answer was to ask the droid personally. And now that he was inside Government House, it was only a matter of time. Stepping back into the hallway, Kyle decided to turn right, moving down the corridor as it began to bow out a bit on the left side. He was almost to the space when he caught sight of a stormtrooper standing there. Two blaster shots took the enemy down. Moving past, Kyle followed the corridor to a point and where it turned to the right. He was just coming around the turn when he heard the whine of a servomotor.

_You don't suppose…_

His idea was confirmed as he rounded the corner and saw the ceiling mounted turbolaser. It was turning his way, its sensors having detected the presence of an unknown being and its rudimentary brain identifying that being as an intruder. Kyle got his saber up just as the first blast left the barrels. His arms bowed a little at the strong impact and with it being so close, but he managed to deflect it outside the spot. Moving back a few steps, the operative continued to deflect the incoming shots until the turbolaser began to spin wildly, randomly firing, its electronic brain all but slag after so many hits. When the mechanism finally blew with a loud sound, the operative was able to take a brief respite.

_Well, _he thought, _this was obviously the wrong way to go._

Retracing the path he had just come down, Kyle went the other way, saber poised and ready should be run into another turbolaser emplacement. As it turned out, the path inside the building was even more complex as the one outside. The operative moved down corridor after corridor, sometimes finding stormtroopers along the way, other times dead ends with ceiling mounted turbolasers to greet him. Minutes passed as his frustration, but finally, he found a corridor where the floor began to slope upward after a dozen or so steps. Encouraged, Kyle moved up it quickly, too quickly.

"Intruder!"

"Drop your weapon!"

_Oh, Sithspit_.

The saber came up, deflecting away the bursts of incoming fire from the hand blasters carried by the pair of Imperial officers. More importantly, Kyle saw one of them pull a comlink from his belt and begin to speak into it. With a sense of urgency, he moved forward, his shield power dropping even lower as some of the shots made it past his defenses. He managed to kill one of the officers with a sweep of the emerald green blade, but the second had begun to back away, firing as he did so, making it difficult for Kyle to gain ground on him. Concerned about the message the Imperial had radioed in, Kyle knew he needed to eliminate the man, and soon. Remembering his earlier problems while in the barracks area and the virtual horde of stormtroopers, he employed the same tactic. Even as he continued to shield himself with the lightsaber, the operative took a step back, then another, then another. Emboldened at the retreat, the Imperial pressed his own attack, moving forward now. When Kyle felt the edge of the ramp under his foot, he turned and ran down it.

* * *

Lieutenant Aschloss saw the intruder beginning to retreat and radioed in that he was pursuing and would report in upon taking the man into custody. His confidence increased as he saw the intruder turn and run down the ramp.

_Go ahead, _he thought, _try to escape._

Smiling to himself, Aschloss moved towards the ramp and was about to head down it when he spotted the form of the intruder. The man was lying prone on the ramp and looking up. A second later, the Lieutenant realized he had fallen into a trap. Little else entered the man's mind as Kyle's blaster shot took him out.

* * *

With the second Imperial officer taken care of, Kyle surmounted the ramp again and studied the area he was in. Ahead of him was a building similar to the blockhouse. There was a silvery dome shaped door with two small white lights near the base in front of him, but as he drew near, it didn't open. He tried the keypad next to the door, but no matter what patterns he entered, the door stayed stubbornly closed. Looking at the steel gray members that crossed the front of it, he surmised it was a reinforced door and would be difficult to force open.

"Hold it right there!"

Turning to his left, Kyle saw a stormtrooper heading towards him, blaster out and ready. He noted that the permacrete floor he stood on extended out to his left several feet until it met another door at the far end. It was this door the stormtrooper had just come through. Blaster bolts crisscrossed as both men fired. Kyle found himself driven painfully against the wall as the trooper fell, his chest armor smoking. Stunned by the impact, the operative allowed himself a few minutes to recover, and then checked his shield display. With a resigned nod, he saw that it was hovering at just under 10%, which made it all but useless.

As he rested, Kyle contemplated what to do next. Since the nearby door wasn't being cooperative, he decided to explore the area he was in and see if he could determine where to head next. Moving down the path the stormtrooper had came from, he saw two large, thick permacrete walls coming down from the ceiling. The two walls bordered the otherwise open space into three sections. A drop of some ten to fifteen feet led down to a large open space. Looking at this, Kyle remembered the Scout Walkers and concluded that he was in the hangar bay for the machines. However, the purpose of the walls dividing up the space remained a mystery. Coming to a door similar in design to the one he had just encountered, he touched the keypad and was surprised to have the door open readily. Stepping through, Kyle found himself outside in the open, completely exposed. A short extension of the path led outside and he could see the outer ring of the base along with a Scout Walker on patrol. Moving back from the sharp drop-off, he quickly re-entered the hangar space and moved down the corridor.

About halfway down, he noticed a lever mechanism in the wall and, curious, pulled it. With a shudder, the nearest of the two large walls began to move, the upper edge becoming visible as it descended. Looking across the space, he noticed a similar lever in the opposite wall. He guessed that this second switch controlled the other wall. The operative also noticed some open slots in the ceiling and wondered what they might be. After a few minutes of contemplation, he shook his head and moved back to the space where he had encountered the Imperial officers. Too busy to notice it before, he saw this room had a long, wide viewport that allowed a view of the outside. Kyle let his eyes trace along this until they came to rest on a metal grate to his right. Stepping closer, he saw that it had once been a shiny chrome color, but over time had deteriorated, spots of decay and rust visible on it. On a whim, he drew his lightsaber out and ignited the emerald blade. A quick cross slash and the metal grate all but disintegrated. Closing down the saber, Kyle peered inside the hole he had made. A metal shaft was visible, dropping down a short distance before it turned out of sight. Along the sides machinery was visible, green and red lights glowing. To the operative's surprise, the shaft was well lit, banks of lights arranged to dispel any shadows.

Normally, he wouldn't have cared about such a thing, but in this case, such a design struck him as unusual. And knowing that the Empire rarely did things without a purpose behind them, Kyle decided to discover the reason behind this one. Sliding his legs in through the hole, he lowered the rest of his body inside, dropping only a few inches before his feet struck the bottom. Studying it, he determined that he'd need to crouch a bit, but otherwise the shaft was big enough for a normal sized man, which was another curiosity. Why build a man sized shaft unless there was a reason behind it? Moving forward, Kyle saw that the walls and floor were constructed just like the metal grate he had destroyed, however these had been maintained, no sign of decay or rust on them. He came to another drop off and carefully lowered himself over it, forced to turn as the path doubled back on it itself. Finding the floor once again, he moved ahead, noticing a wall some distance ahead. He had gone perhaps ten steps when he noticed the wall to his right bow out slightly. Of more significance was the fact that the metal grate here was pitted with rust and decay. This puzzled Kyle, especially given that the other walls were spotless. There had to be a reason for it.

He moved closely to the rusted grate and thought he heard something. Stilling himself, the operative slowed his breathing and listened intently. Time passed. There! He heard it again. It was low and somewhat muffled, but to the operative, it sounded like a servomotor, moving in the space beyond the grate. Curious, Kyle drew his blaster and saber out. The _snap-hiss _was loud in the confined space and the operative had to be careful as the beam scorched part of the wall as he brought it to bear. Holding his blaster in the opposite hand, Kyle stabbed out with the saber, slicing into the rusted grate. The metal sizzled, sparked and then collapsed as the lightsaber chewed into it. Kyle felt a shot of adrenaline blast into him with the pace of a ship going to lightspeed. Inside the space beyond the grate was a turbolaser emplacement, its barrels turning his way. Without conscious thought, his finger stabbed down on the trigger of the blaster, unleashing crimson streams of energy. It took five shots before the turbolaser exploded in a blinding flash. Fragments flew everywhere, a chunk of metal slicing across Kyle's cheeks, another striking his thigh. The pain from the wounds wasn't excessive, but it sent another blast of adrenaline into the operative, causing him to breathe heavily.

After taking a few minutes to check the wounds and finding both were superficial, Kyle debated about what to do next. A part of him wanted to get out of the shaft right there and then, but another part exhorted him to finish checking it. He wasn't sure why, but it felt to him like this was important. And when he moved ahead a few more steps, the feeling was confirmed as he found another rusted out grate and he drew closer, the sound of a servomotor. This time, however, Kyle was ready. Holstering the blaster, he retrieved a thermal detonator and armed it. Holding it in his left hand, he slashed open the grate with the lightsaber held in his right. As soon as the turbolaser became visible, he gently tossed the detonator into the space and backed away as quickly as he could. Five seconds later, the detonator exploded, and shortly after that, the corridor in front of Kyle filled with fire and smoke as the turbolaser went up as well.

He breathed a sigh of relief, grateful he hadn't been in the midst of that blast. After doing what he could to patch his wounds, Kyle retraced his path through the shaft until he was back in the space with the large viewport and more or less back to square one. The side trip, while interesting, had proven of little value. He still needed to find a path out of here. It was then he thought about the walls and the switches. He wasn't sure, but it seemed to make sense that the other switch would lower the second wall and with those openings in the ceiling he saw…

Moving back to where the first switch was, Kyle pulled it and watched the wall descend into the floor once more. After a number of seconds had passed, it began to rise back up. Timing it, Kyle waited until the wall was close enough and then stepped down onto it. Without wasting a moment, he ran across and to the other side, jumping down just before the gap closed and the wall touched the ceiling once more. Taking a moment to recover his breath, Kyle moved to the nearby switch, identical in design to one he had just used. He pulled the lever and this time, the first _and _second walls began to descend together. As they did, Kyle noticed two low, wide, triangular shapes spaced equidistantly apart in the second wall. There was a an open space perhaps four feet high in the middle of each one and something told the operative that these would be of use to him. He waited until the wall had completed its descent into the floor and was rising back up as he jumped down into it, crouching and moving into of the spaces.

He felt the vibration through his feet as the wall continued to rise and felt a moment of fear as the ceiling passed by. But then, as the wall latched into place, Kyle saw an opening in front of him, similar in design to the shaft with the turbolaser he had just been in. Suddenly, he felt pressure from behind and looked over his shoulder to see a metal shank pressing into him. The pressure was enough to force him to move him forward until he was forced to turn to his left and move out of the way as the massive, mottled shank clanked into its housing with a resounding "chunk". Looking about, Kyle noticed another shank and surmised that it fit through the other opening in the wall. There was only one way to go now, forward, and that path was blocked with a metal grate.

_Guess this is my only way out of here._

A slash with the lightsaber sliced the grate open and allowed Kyle to step inside. Suddenly, his feet met air and he felt himself dropping down.

_Not again!_

Fortunately, the fall was a short one and he landed in a darkened room, allowing his knees to buckle to absorb the shock of the fall. Minutes passed as he recovered and calmed his racing heart. His eyes took in the space, finding a rectangular room, dim except for light filtering in from a door a few feet away. Standing up, he moved to the opening and peered around the edge, seeing no one. It took a few moments for him to recognize this room as the one he had seen earlier from the Scout Walker hangar. The domed shaped doors to his right and left were a dead giveaway. And as he looked, Kyle noticed lit control mechanisms on both doors.

_Locked from the inside, no wonder I couldn't get in._

The blaster shot came just as he was stepping fully into the room. It caught him in his left shoulder and spun him to the side. The second shot hit him full in the chest. He was driven up against the reinforced door, bouncing off and tumbling to the ground, landing on his knees.

"So," came a voice, "you finally show your face, Rebel scum."

Feeling as if his whole upper body were on fire, Kyle was unable to raise his head to look, but he heard the sound of footsteps coming towards him. He cursed himself for being like this. Why hadn't he had his blaster in hand upon entering the room? It would have at least given him a chance. But now…

"I don't know how you infiltrated our base," the Imperial officer said, "but you won't get any further."

Kyle heard a sound and, a moment later, smelled the metal of a blaster barrel held close to his face.

"Now, just stay right there," the Imperial officer said.

Kyle heard the click of a comlink and knew, without a doubt, what would happen next. He'd be arrested, interrogated and more than likely killed when all was said and done. A part of him said it would resist to the end and give up any information, but the Imperial trained part of Kyle knew this was just foolish bravado. He hadn't studied a lot about interrogation techniques while at the Academy, but he remembered enough to know that, in most cases, the Empire got the information it was looking for from prisoners. He thought of Jan, Wee Gee, Mon Mothma, Wexter, others. His anger continued to rise as the Imperial got a hold of someone and began to tell them he had a prisoner.

_One blaster shot, _he thought, _that was all it would take._

And yet, he knew he was helpless, at least until the effects of the shots wore off.

_Blast it! It can't end like this! I can't lose! I won't lose! I…_

His thoughts cut off as something seemed to rise from within his mind. It was cold at first, but then began to warm until it filled him with such a sense, undeniable power, strength beyond anything he could imagine. And in the next moment, a smile came to his face, but not a friendly one.

"That's confirmed," the Imperial officer said, "he was entering my station and I…"

A sound like a _snap-hiss_ reached his ears and as the Imperial looked to where his prisoner, he found the man was on his feet and… smiling at him. But there was something about the smile, something that made the Imperial feel cold and afraid. He saw his prisoner raise a shaft of green light and then he knew no more.

A laugh escaped Kyle's lips as the decapitated Imperial fell to the ground, an icy, merciless laugh devoid of humor.

"Pathetic," he said, staring at the corpse, "one wonders how you conquered the galaxy."

He gazed about the room, even more intent now on finishing his mission and leaving this place. Well, leaving after he taught 8t88 a lesson, a painful one. He smiled again at the thought of it, and then returned his mind to the more important goal of finding a way out of this place. The doors would only lead him back to the Scout Walker hangar and so he discarded them right away. Looking about once more, he noticed a metal grate in the floor and strangely, a switch in the wall just in front of the grate. Curious, Kyle moved to switch and pulled the lever. He heard the sound of a gear shifting and then with a distinct hum, the platform just underneath the grate began to descend.

_Well, well, what have we here?_

He watched as the platform descended further and a room beneath this one became visible. And in the Force, Kyle sensed that this was where he needed to go. Waiting until the platform had risen back up; he slashed the grate open with a sweep of the lightsaber and with a small jump, pressed the button to activate the platform. It descended with him on it, the room he had seen becoming visible in greater detail. He stood in a kind of entrance, permacrete walls rising on either side of him with light fixtures about three quarters up the side of each wall. The floor was a mixture of gray and blue permacrete, arranged in a way as to look like directional arrows leading him forward. Beyond this hall was a large room, hexagonal in shape. Black steps, each with lights in the front of each stair rose before him to a central platform where more stairs were, leading ahead, as well as to the left and right. Support pillars, composed of green and gray permacrete bordered the staircases. The wall here was the same color as the entrance hall and the ceiling nearly black in color. Kyle also noticed a turbolift at the far side the room, the gold-yellow door a stark contrast to the rest of the room.

But what brought a nearly ear to ear grin to the warrior was the dozen or so stormtroopers scattered about the room. Lightsaber ignited, he took off at a run for the closest ignoring their shouts for him to halt and drop his weapon. He stabbed the first stormtrooper through the chest, pulling the blade out and swinging around to cut a second across his faceplate, eliciting a scream of pain before the trooper fell. The warrior moved up the stairs and dodged to his right as a trooper at the top of the staircase fired on him. Practically laughing, he flew up the stairs and cut off the Imperials' arm before slicing him across the neck. Two Imperial officers opened up from a raised platform to his right and slightly behind. The warrior set up them with a vengeance, lightsaber hacking and slashing, the beam sizzling as it cut through flesh and was splashed with blood. Four more troopers attacked, standing at equidistant positions, but the warrior deflected all their shots away with ease before systematically attacking and killing each one. His own blood sang in his ears as he exulted in the thrill of combat. He streaked about the room, the lightsaber forming a slash of green light. The remaining troopers attempted a coordinated attack on him, but they were no match. The warrior began to feel a bit disappointed as he finished the last one. The Imperial's scream of pain was cut off in mid-sentence as the warrior drove the emerald beam through the top of the trooper's head.

He looked about for his next target, but found none. All over the room Imperial corpses lay, mangled bodies and limbs, some lying at grotesque angles. He wondered again at the supposed strength of the Empire. This group of stormtroopers had been of little matter to him. Their attacks were clumsy, their armor ineffective. But then the warrior remembered, somewhere in this building was the target he truly wanted, the droid 8t88. Moving to the turbolift, he pressed the "call" button. Several seconds passed and his impatience began to grow as there was no car appearing. He was about to take further action when a new sound reached his ears, and from the other side of the room. He looked that way and saw the wall that separated this room from the Scout Walker hangar was lowering. And through the gap, he spotted a score of stormtroopers, some already stepping into the room.

His smile returned as he brandished the saber. Perhaps his battle was _not_ yet done. He practically flew down the steps, charging the stormtroopers as they opened up with their blasters. The saber moved, crossing up, over and down, deflecting away the blasters bolts. And then he was upon them. A chorus of screams began to fill the air as the warrior slashed and hacked, mowing the stormtroopers down like so much field grass. Then, to his surprise, the wall before him began to rise, cutting off a new group of approaching troopers. A few standing on the wall itself were caught by surprise. Most jumped off, but two didn't make it and the warrior exulted in the screams and crunching sounds as the wall moved back into place. He stayed there for several more minutes, hoping it would lower again. But then, he heard a new sound and turning round, saw the turbolift door was opening, the inside of the car visible.

The warrior nodded and moved towards it, not completely sure where the lift was going, but feeling strongly it would lead him to 8t88. And then, the fun would begin. He stepped inside the car and before he could turn all the way around, the lift doors closed and it began to rise.

* * *

**Planet Sulon**

**An upper level of Government House **

**Inside the Imperial base**

8t88 sat in a wooden chair, his sensors noting the fine craftsmanship and solid construction. Had he not been in the middle of another job, he would have considered investigating how much the chair was worth. That it supported him so readily was an indication of its quality. Just then, a voice sounded inside his head, harsh, almost grating.

"Are you ready to transmit the map, 8t88?"

"At your leave, Lord Jerec."

"Then begin."

Activating his long range transmitter, 8t88 fed in the recorded image from his holocamm eye and let the greenish glow play out of it.

* * *

**Somewhere in neutral space**

**The **_**Vengeance**_

The nearly black hull of the massive shape hung in space, the three escorting Imperial class Star Destroyers dwarfed in comparison. An on the usually darkened bridge, a greenish glow was visible. Jerec watched in contemplative silence as the misty image of 8t88's face appeared in the hologram displayed in front of him. But of greater concern to the Dark Jedi was the collection of planets dipping, turning and rotating before him. He studied the path shown and found what he was looking for. A thrill ran through him.

"Excellent, 8t88! You have found the planet I am seeking. The valley of the Jedi will soon be ours."

"I am glad to have been of service, Lord Jerec. Now about my fee…"

Jerec waved a hand dismissively. "Yes, yes, fine. Your payment is waiting aboard one of my cargo ships. Meet it at the refueling station outside Baron's Hed."

"Thank you, Lord Jerec. I hope to be…"

Jan waved his hand dismissively and the transmission was cut. He stood in place for several seconds, contemplating the enormity of what he had just learned. The soft footfalls of Sariss moving up nearby reached his ears.

"Sariss," he said, his voice almost a whisper, "prepare the _Vengeance _for hyperspace."

His adjutant smiled and moved to comply as the Dark Jedi continued to contemplate the possibilities that lay before him.

_The Valley of the Jedi. And within its confines, enough Jedi souls to give me power beyond anything anyone has ever seen. Soon, very soon, it will be mine. _

The Dark Jedi smiled to himself, anticipating the coming conquest.


	24. Chapter 24: The Wars Inside

**Kyle Katarn: The Rise & Fall **

**Book 2: Birth of a Jedi **

**Chapter 24: The Wars Inside**

A/N: Greetings, everyone! Thought I'd surprise you and actually post a chapter on time this week! I have to say being unemployed right now sucks, but it has given me more time for this, so I guess it kinda works out. One quick note, I had hoped to finish the Baron's Hed mission in this chapter, but I had forgotten just how extensive the level is, so I'll need to continue it into Chapter 25. But I do have the lightsaber battle for you in this one! But before that, let's do them shout outs!

Nerwen Aldarion: Always glad to be of service, my lady. Sorry 'bout your coach, believe me I understand what it's like to have someone like that all but abandon your school. Heck, my first college was so doggone cheap, we didn't even have a football team and our president was dead set against it. And then the riot… man, I hope you both are being careful and staying safe. Yea, Chap 23 was a lot of action, but that's more or less how the game level is, not many breaks at all. It's more unusual to not being shot at that it is to be. Well, like I've said before, very little has been explored as far as Kyle's time at the Academy. Besides, these little snapshots do help to explain how he knows what he knows and does what he does. I imagined the classroom sort of like VMI, where my uncle taught for a number of years, very controlled, very focused, and where smart mouth jerks are dealt with. Yeah, I had a feeling you wouldn't be happy with Kyle in that scene. But I think you'll like what I have him think about her in this chapter. Rahn is definitely becoming Kyle's defacto Master. I'm considering involving Luke in the story down the road.

Tinvuiel Undomiel: The quote actually came from a quotes website. I felt like I wanted something to give a statement on Kyle's struggles. You understood its intent perfectly. Yeah, well I thought about it like this. He's in the middle of a pretty dangerous mission, some things not working out and he gets frustrated, which leads to anger and so on. The scene with 8t88 and Jerec is actually from the game and I can tell you that Jerec will get to the Valley first, but as far as what happens next, well… it won't be a slam dunk for the Dark Jedi.

Mach Farcon: Hey, you're happy, I'm happy. In that scene, he's definitely using Dark Side, you'll see more of that in this chapter.

Phygmalion: Thank you, my friend. Appreciate the compliment. It comes down to this; my audience is what is supporting my work. Without readers, what worth is a story? My objective when I write this is to make something you'll like. Without you guys and gals, it wouldn't be worth it.

Manus Dei: Yeah, I've decided that the game designers are evil, why else would they do it that way? I love using Force Grip and then it's like, let's play dodge ball! Or in your case, Stack-Em! A rocket tennis match? That'd be fun to see!

Jelfia Maleak on Part 1 Chap 21: Thanks for the compliment! Always good to hear from a new reviewer ! And yeah, my early work wasn't the best. I didn't edit enough.

Jelfia Maleak on Part 2 Chap 24: Glad you're liking it. Glad you liked the Blaze character. Didn't mean to make you stay up late, but I guess I did a good job if you were that involved in the story! And yes, I am Cliffie!

Jelfia Maleak on Part 3 Chap 13: Again, sorry about the screwups, my bad.

Jelfia Maleak on Part 3 Chap 26: Glad you liked the ending. Yeah, I started editing in Part 3, so it got better.

A/N: All right then! Another bunch of great reviews to read. I hope y'all know how much I appreciate them. Please enjoy the new chapter!

* * *

**Planet Sulon**

**An upper level of Government House **

**Inside the Imperial base**

8t88 sat virtually motionless in the chair, the green glow from his holocamm eye casting a shadow on its metal face. A metal finger drummed methodically on an arm of the chair as it listened to Jerec. And then, in the midst of its reply to the Dark Jedi, the droid found the transmission had suddenly been cut. Inasmuch as a droid could feel, 8t88 was somewhat perturbed by this. It turned to look at the hooded figure standing nearby.

"Your Master seems a bit impatient. Is this Valley of the Jedi _so_ important?"

"That's not your concern. Does he have the data?"

"Of course."

"Good, now there only remains one other item to take care of before we leave."

"You are sure he is coming?" the droid asked, "I find it unlikely he could have made it all this way."

The figure nodded. "He's coming, I can feel it."

The droid said nothing.

"You know what to do when he comes here?"

"Yes," 8t88 replied.

"Good, I can't wait. I've been looking forward to this."

8t88 was about to say something else, but the figure had disappeared.

_Very eager, this one, _the droid thought, rising from the chair.

Just then, a familiar voice entered the room.

"I should've aimed for your head when I had the chance."

Out of the darkness beyond where the droid was stepped Kyle, a blaster pistol appearing in his hand. Though 8t88 was not programmed to feel fear, there was something in that smile, something the droid found "uncomfortable". However, when it spoke, its voice betrayed none of this.

"A lost opportunity."

"I want the map, '88," the warrior said, "And then you and I going to have a little 'talk'".

The tone in the man's voice sent an odd sensation through the droid's sensors, followed by an even odder surge in its circuits. It was a phenomenon unlike any it had felt before. A part of the droid's brain wondered if getting involved like this had been a good idea. Still, it had a part to play and with the promised reward from the Lord Jerec, the final decision had already been made. 8t88 extended one of its manipulator arms.

"All yours, Kyle."

The warrior looked and felt a thrill at seeing the map, laying an angle on the floor a short distance away. The swirls and eddies on the surface described something that he couldn't quite make out, but he felt certain would lead him to the Valley of the Jedi. He still wanted to make 8t88 for its part in things, but the warrior's fury was now mixed with an odd sense of joy, and perhaps, victory? Another thought entered just then. Looking at the map, he saw how large it was. He wondered exactly how was he going to transport it out of this place, much less off planet?

The answer as to the fate of the map came a second later as a figure leapt out of the shadows, casting aside the black cloak it wore as it landed atop the stones comprising the map. The warrior felt a flash of surprise as he heard the _snap-hiss_ of a lightsaber, but not his. The metal tube was still attached to his belt. But he could not deny the unmistakable sound, so familiar to him. A shaft of yellow light appeared in the hands of the figure atop the map and then shifted and reversed as the meter long beam stabbed down, the stone it touched beginning to melt. The warrior watched as the energy spread until it touched every stone, creating a corona of yellow light around them. A groaning sound arose, followed by a sound like something cracking and then the warrior's eyes went wide as the stones shattered and flew apart. Pieces flew everywhere, a few landing near his feet. He stared down at one of them mutely, not quite believing what he had just seen. It seemed impossible. All the work, all the effort it had taken to get here, all that he had endured. And now, with the prize in sight, it was gone, destroyed. The joy he had felt fled from his heart like petals from a dying flower. And what replaced it was dark, cold and wanted only one thing, revenge.

The warrior looked up to see the person who had destroyed the map. It was a human male, and appeared to be younger than the warrior. Short black hair cradled a nearly unlined face with eyes normally dark brown, but now appearing almost black. He wore a black singlet with a gray vest covering his upper shoulders, chest and part of his upper thighs with black, thigh high boots completing the ensemble. His expression was amused, almost contemptuous as he stared at the warrior. A hand came up, and the warrior watched as a ball of yellow energy gathered in his opponent's right hand. With a casual flick of the man's wrist, the energy leapt forward, striking the warrior. He was driven back with a great force until he hit the chair 8t88 had vacated, the strong impact stunning him and driving the breath from his lungs as his head lolled to the side.

"In all my years, I've only met Dark Jedi, never one from the Light Side" the other man said, shaking his head disappointedly. "Somehow I expected more."

Hearing this, the warrior pushed himself off the chair and onto his feet, fighting against the residual pain and discomfort he felt.

"Who are you?" he asked.

The other man gave him the contemptuous smile again.

"That's right. I should at least introduce myself before killing you. Very well, I am Yun. And you?"

"The man who is going to kill _you_," the warrior said with his own contemptuous smile.

Hearing this, the smile disappeared from Yun's face and, brandishing his saber, he ran at Kyle.

The warrior didn't move, standing almost like a statue as the Dark Jedi charged at him. Only when the yellow energy beam swung at him did he move his own saber, snapping the emerald blade up to block the strike. But in the midst of the swing, Yun changed the angle of the attack and when the blades struck, the warrior found his pushed up and back, causing him to back up a step and leaving himself completed exposed. He expected the Dark Jedi to strike, but Yun stood there, shaking his head again. The contemptuous smile on his face drove the warrior forward, bringing his saber down in a two-handed strike. He hoped to catch the Dark Jedi between the chair and a long, wooden table with an identical chair on the other side. Instead, Yun back flipped over the table and landed just in front of the chair. The warrior was about to pursue when the Dark Jedi raised his hand again. Suddenly, light flooded the space, so intense and bright the warrior was forced to close his eyes against it. Yun leapt to the attack even as the warrior tried to open his eyes. He heard the hum of a swinging lightsaber blade and brought his own up just in time. But suddenly, the Dark Jedi changed the arc of his blade and the warrior cried aloud as the yellow beam sliced into his shoulder. The wound cauterized instantly so there was little blood, but the pain was as white hot as the light pounding on him. The warrior shifted his saber to one hand and put the free one over his eyes even as he tried to squint through the harsh light. Yun attacked again, the hum of his blade growing in volume as he went for strike on the right leg. The warrior swung his blade down to block it only to have the Dark Jedi switch the angle of his blade again and slice it across the front of the warrior's left leg.

A scream of pain and anger escaped the warrior's lips as he tried to move away. The harsh light had suddenly disappeared as if it had never been there. And though he could see, the warrior felt the pain of his wounds. He looked to his opponent and could see the Dark Jedi knew this as well. Yun moved in again, this time going for a chest strike. Ignoring his instincts to set up for a block, the warrior held his blade in a guard position and sure enough, the angle of attack changed once more. But this time, the warrior was ready. As Yun's blade swung up, the warrior raised his own and blocked what surely would have been a deadly face strike. The Dark Jedi's eyes widened in surprise and, taking advantage of the moment, the warrior pushed forward and then swept his blade up, knocking Yun's saber up and out, leaving the Dark Jedi exposed. A crosswise slash drew a burned line across the other man's chest and the warrior felt a smile appear on his face as the Dark Jedi grimaced in pain. He tried to follow up with a second strike, but Yun leapt away, at the same time raising his hand.

Certain that the Dark Jedi would fill the room with light once again; the warrior closed his eyes against it. But to his surprise, it didn't come. This time, when he opened his eyes, the Dark Jedi was gone, nowhere to be seen. The warrior looked around for several seconds, but saw no one else. His smile returned.

_The coward fled._

Suddenly, a laugh came from his right and a yellow arc flashed. The warrior tried to dodge, but it was too late and he screamed once more as the saber blade gouged a furrow in his back, followed by a strong shove that sent him tumbling over the table and to the floor. The warrior lay there, wanting to rise, but unable to, his body would not respond. His eyes still saw and he expected to see the yellow blade descending, but instead he heard a mocking laugh.

"Is that your best? What a joke. Jerec said to be prepared to face a strong warrior, not a weak one who can't even use the Dark Side properly."

_Then finish me._

"I _should_ just finish you off. But I don't think I will. I came here for a battle, but I can wait. Take your time getting up and then we can continue.

The warrior heard a sound as the Dark Jedi sat in one of the chairs. He was incensed, waiting to rise, to continue the battle, to attack and beat and slash and kill this impudent whelp who dared to challenge him!

_I cannot lose this battle. I will not lose this battle! I am Jedi. I cannot be defeated. I will not! All power is mine!_

But something was wrong. No matter how he called to the Force, it didn't answer as he expected. Instead of a roaring river of power, it was like a trickle from a faucet. He didn't understand. The Force should be obeying him, providing what he needed at his command.

_**Such are the protestations of the foolish.**_

It was Rahn. But in his state, it was the last voice the warrior wanted to hear.

_Be silent, old man! I have no need of you or your worthless advice!_

_**If you wish to die; perhaps not. But if you wish to survive…**_

_Bah! I have the power! I will defeat this enemy! He is nothing before me!_

With a scream of effort, the warrior made himself get up just as Yun leapt over him, his saber slashing down. The warrior met the blow with his own saber, but the impact unbalanced him and it was only through a strong effort that he kept from falling. Suddenly, light filled his eyes, painful, burning light.

_No! Not again!_

He tried to move, to see his opponent, but seemingly out of nowhere, a yellow blade flashed and the warrior screamed again as his back was struck a second time. He fell to his knees, his strength ebbing, his power failing. A strong force slammed into him and he felt himself arcing through the air until he landed painfully near the back of the room, lying there on the floor, pain everywhere. His deactivated saber lay nearby, but may as well have been on one of the other moons of Sullust for all the good it was now.

"Oh c'mon!" Yun called, moving back to the chair and sitting down, "can't you do any better than that? You're supposed to be a threat to me, not a worthless nuisance."

The Dark Jedi's words only added to fire inside the warrior.

_I… will… DESTROY YOU!_

_**Kyle.**_

_Be silent, old man! I will not…_

_**Kyle.**_

_Despite the fire filling him up, the warrior realized this voice wasn't Rahn's._

_**Kyle.**_

He listened, mind focusing on the voice as it called his name. But who was it.

_**Come back to me, Kyle.**_

_Who…?_

_**Come back to me.**_

Even as his mind determined it, the warrior couldn't quite believe it. It didn't make sense.

_**Come back to me, Kyle.**_

_J… Ja… Jan, is it you?_

_**Kyle?**_

The voice changed with such suddenness, the warrior felt dizzy with confusion. But when it spoke his name again, he knew for certain who it was now.

_Rahn._

_**Kyle, you must listen to me.**_

The warrior began to answer, but realized something as he was about to speak. Something had changed; something inside him. The fire inside him had cooled. The lust for revenge had quieted and the desire to slash and kill had all but abated. The warrior inside; the fighter who wanted revenge was gone. And what was left was confused and not a little scared.

_Rahn? What's going on? What is happening to me?_

_**A discussion for another time; my friend. There is more immediate work to be done.**_

It only took Kyle a moment to comprehend this.

_Right, the Dark Jedi. But Rahn, how am I going to defeat him? He's stronger than I am, quicker, faster._

_**It appears so only because your own attacks were so clumsy and slow. **_

_Oh thanks, that makes me feel _so_ much better. _

_**Kyle, listen to me. You cannot match this opponent power for power. He is too experienced, too clever for you to win like that.**_

_Then what do I do? If I lose…_

_**Use his own subterfuge against him.**_

_Use his…what? How? _

_**The Force. Allow it to guide you in this battle and you will find the answer.**_

Kyle wanted to believe Rahn. The old Jedi had been right so many times and understood so much...

But then he remembered the map, and what Yun had done to it. And the anger resurfaced; the desire for revenge.

_**Be mindful of your emotions! Do not allow them to cloud your mind! You must see clearly.**_

Part of Kyle wanted to reject, to get up and attack; to make the Dark Jedi suffer a thousand times for each wound he had suffered. But the rest of him, the bigger part realized he _had_ been letting his emotions lead him, his anger; his desire for revenge. And against any other opponent, this might not have mattered. But this one was a Dark Jedi, experienced in the ways of the Dark Side of the Force. And given that Kyle was going along the same way…

_He's been seeing into my mind! Reading my thoughts! No wonder I couldn't win!_

_**Not your thoughts, Kyle, but your emotions. He could feel them emanating from you and used them against you.**_

_I… understand. But Rahn, my wounds, my body, I don't know if I can…_

_**The Force can do many things, Kyle, if you allow it to. For now, find your calm center; imagine a place of peace, of comfort. **_

Kyle tried to comply; to think of something calming, something pleasant and from his memory came an image of the wading pools of Dranooth 7. A high price vacation resort, the falls at the Xeneth Hotel Complex were rumored to have healing powers and many testimonials had been written about how luxuriant they were. It was a place far too pricy for an Imperial soldier or a New Republic operative, but Kyle _had_ seen several images of the place and imagined what it would be like to be there. He imagined it now and with a suddenness he didn't expect, he felt the sensation of water pouring over him, not too cold or warm. It seemed to coat his body and mind, relaxing him.

Yun's voice intruded into his vision.

"All right, I've waited long enough and you haven't moved. So, I guess I'll just finish you off."

Kyle heard him rise from the chair and then footsteps as the Dark Jedi moved forward.

"I don't know why Lord Jerec was so concerned about you. You're no fighter, and even less a Jedi. Oh well, I suppose even my Master can make a mistake."

Though his eyes were closed, Kyle heard the _snap-hiss _of a lightsaber activating and somehow, could sense Yun raising it over his head for the killing blow, the sound as the yellow blade slashed down.

With a sound like a loud crash, another lightsaber blade rose to meet Yun's, the blades sparking as they touched each other. Caught totally by surprise, Yun stared down at the interlocked sabers as the man lying on the floor opened his eyes. He pushed up, hard enough to knock the other's blade away and force him to back up a step. The Dark Jedi watched as the man now rose to his feet, seemingly unhurt, his lightsaber held in both hands, moving to a guard position.

"It's not over yet."

A smile came to Yun's face.

"I see. So, you _are_ going to make this interesting. Good. I so hate easy wins."

And with that he drove, he drove forward, slashing up and across with his lightsaber, trying his feint technique once again. But as he changed the attack to a downward slash, the Dark Jedi found his blade met and blocked. He backed off and then tried another attack and another and another, finding himself blocked each time. His smile faded and frustration began to creep in. This didn't make sense to him. He had wounded his opponent, defeated him.

_He shouldn't be able to move, much less fight. _

But somehow, he was.

Yun looped his blade in, around and down, clashing against Kyle's blade and trying with the force of his own strength to break through. His opponent looked at him, his face determined and showing the expense of effort, but otherwise, a far cry from the angry face of earlier, broadcasting his emotions all over the place. The Dark Jedi finally began to realized that this opponent, if not the battle itself had changed, and not for the better.

_I'm doing it, _Kyle thought_. I've blocked every one of his attacks. He can't get a single blow in._

_**Yes, **_Rahn said encouragingly, _**and now, extend your reach. Press your own attack and look for an opening to end this.**_

_Will I have to kill him?_

_**That is for you to decide.**_

Kyle looked at his opponent, seeing the effort the Dark Jedi was putting out, sweat running down his face. He had no doubt that Yun was out to kill _him_, but as for his own mind…

_All right then, let's go._

Pushing forward and to the right, Kyle knocked Yun's blade away and then initiated his own attack, sweeping his blade across and up. Yun blocked the blow and then had to quickly backpedal as Kyle slid his blade along Yun's, going for the Dark Jedi's shoulder. Yun knocked Kyle's blade away and then had to quickly bring his blade down and across as Kyle stabbed forward, aiming for the chest. Blades clashed and sparked and then separated as the two combatants evaluated mentally what to do next. Yun was practically beside himself with frustration, confusion and a growing anger. He wasn't to land a single attack and now he was backing away with each new strike, finding to defend himself from his opponent's blows.

_This isn't possible. He was wounded, weakened. I had him. And now…_

He barely managed to block a sweep at his leg as Kyle circled his blade down. The clash of blades brought the locked sabers up and around in a half arc.

_There!_

Pulling his blade away, Kyle reversed his grip on it and drove the pommel forward, smashing Yun in his left side. An audible "crunch" sound as a rib broke. It was with an expression of profound astonishment and pain that the Dark Jedi fell to the ground, his saber deactivating as it fell from his hand. He tried to rise, to continue the battle, but incredible pain flared in his left side and a moment later, Kyle had moved forward and was pointing the tip of his lightsaber at the Dark Jedi's throat. Yun stared up at his opponent, certain that he was going to die, knowing if the positions were reversed, the man before would already be dead. He was defeated and defenseless, but rather than surrender or ask for mercy, he was defiant. He glared up at his opponent even as he fought for the breath to speak.

"Go ahead! Kill me!"

When his opponent didn't move, Yun added, "Isn't that what you do to Dark Jedi?"

Kyle stared down at the figure on the floor before him. He knew he could finish this, a quick stab and it would be all over. But as he gazed down at this young man, trying to be brave in the face of his imminent death, he didn't feel justified in executing him. It was strange. The old Kyle would have already done it, out of anger or the need for vengeance. But for the Kyle Katarn he was now, it just wasn't the same. He was surprised to realize he felt something like pity for this Dark Jedi and with that, knew that he couldn't kill him. Instead, he drew his blade back, away from the Dark Jedi's throat and raised it to a guard position by his left shoulder. Yun stared in disbelief at his opponent. Was this man sparing him? It seemed impossible. But could it be true? When nearly a minute passed and the man hadn't moved, Yun rose, each breath adding to the awful pain he felt. He put a hand to where he had been hit, cradling it. He looked at Kyle again and received a grim stare in return, the silent message clear.

"Yes, I'm sparing you. But try something and I'll cut you down."

Just then, a hole opened in the ceiling and a yellowish beam filtered down, encircling Yun. He felt his feet leave the ground as the tractor beam pulled him off the floor and towards the ceiling, his lightsaber trailing after. Kyle watched him go until the Dark Jedi disappeared through the circular opening. It clanked shut a moment later. And because he was so focused on this, he never saw the two stormtroopers and Imperial officer emerged from an opening in the floor on the other side of the room until a chorus of laser bolts began to splash against the wall behind him. Kyle reacted quickly, guiding the blade to the left and deflecting two shots away, then swinging down, around and up again with a grunt of effort. They continued to fire, and Kyle knew he needed to take care of this quickly before their combined fire overwhelmed his defenses.

He reached to the Force and it answered, enabling him to rush forward and strike. The emerald blade flashed as he decapitated one trooper and took out the other with two deflected shots. He now turned to the officer who, to his surprise, kept firing, although it was clear that none of his shots were making their way through. Though he still felt a bit shaky, Kyle took one hand off of the saber hilt and reached for his belt. Suddenly, one of the bolts fired by the officer made it inside his guard and struck the hand holding the saber. Kyle cried out in pain as the emerald shaft flew away and fell to the ground, deactivating.

"No more fancy sword, Rebel scum," the officer said, "now I'm going to…"

He was still speaking when Kyle pulled his blaster out and fired.

"Talk or fight," he muttered, "don't do both."

With all the attackers taken care of, Kyle retrieved his saber from where it landed and moved to the chair at the other end of the room, sitting down in it heavily. He felt very tired and seemed to hurt everywhere, from his back, to his arms to his legs to his hands. He removed a medkit and injected the contents, breathing a sigh of relief minutes later as the medicine went to work. And while he rested, the operative assessed himself and his gear. There was no doubt that he needed to find a shield recharge station ASAP. The lightsaber wounds inflicted by the Dark Jedi coupled with the blaster wounds and other hurts he had suffered could have all been minimized if not eliminated with a functional shield. Aside from that, his gear was all in good shape. As for the mission, it was pretty much shot now. The map was gone and 8t88 had used the distraction of the lightsaber battle to make itself scarce as well. Kyle could only guess where the droid might have gone now.

_He's probably left. Maybe Jan or Weeg detected the launch. Once I get out of here…_

"More like _if_ I get out of here," he muttered.

As he sat there in the chair, resting, Kyle took a look at the room, having seen only quick glimpses of it since arriving here. It was a large space, the ceiling some twenty feet over his head and curved like a barn roof would be. The walls were a pleasant looking red brick on one side with the opposite wall showing three yellow-gold doors like the one on the lift he had used to get here. Along both walls were lined columns of the same red brick color reaching up to the ceiling. Here transverse columns were visible along with skylights along the sides of the roof, letting the light from outside in. Kyle noted the roof sections were colored in a deeper red than the walls, but still a pleasant. Behind him, some ten feet up, was a large octagonal opening in which a diamond shaped yellow frame held a large stained glass window. Before him had been a dark wood table that was now cracked and broken, the middle having collapsed. Looking ahead, he saw two wooden ramps leading up to a raised wooden floor and the back part of the room. This space was much dimmer than the rest and Kyle noticed a dark wood platform in the middle of it. The floor beneath his feet was a mixture of diamond shaped tiles in gray, gold and brown.

The operative left himself rest a bit longer, but after the third time his eyes drifted closed, he forced himself up and towards the rear part of the room. Looking up he noticed a glass window in the ceiling, an opaque glass that allowed very little light to enter. The operative had just stepped onto the raised wood platform to get a better look when he heard a gear system engage and the platform began to descend. It moved slowly, allowing Kyle to see the sides of the shaft. They looked almost uncomfortably like the bars of a jail cell, but with the bars themselves much closer together. About halfway down, he noticed a small alcove in one wall where a circuit was visible. He wondered at this, why it was there, the purpose of it. Further contemplation was ended however as the platform descended further and a room became visible, along with two stormtroopers. Kyle activated his lightsaber and deflected the first few shots away. The platform was nearly all the way down when he jumped the rest of the way and slashed out, cutting one the troopers across the chest. The other began to back away, still firing, and then let out a squawk of surprise as it tripped over a power droid wandering about the space. The droid let out its low "Gonk" sound as the trooper fell over it and onto the floor. Kyle tried, but couldn't help it and laughed aloud at the scene, especially given that the stormtrooper was lying on his back with his legs up in the air. He almost felt bad about it when the trooper finally got his legs under him and managed to get to his knees before Kyle shot him through the faceplate.

With these two taken care of, the operative looked about the room he was in. It was obviously a hidden chamber, given that there was no accessway aside from the platform that had brought him here. The floor was silvery gray and black squares of metal with a honeycomb in the middle as were the even space supporting pillars on the wall. Oddly shaped, otherwise indecipherable hunks of machinery were visible in the walls between each set of pillars. The gray permacrete ceiling, supported and stiffened with silvery steel beams soared some fifteen feet overhead before curving down at the other side of the room. All in all, it was a pretty dismal looking place and Kyle wondered who had come up and even more so, why?

_Probably some paranoid government official or something. Besides, I wanna get outta here, not set up housekeeping._

He looked for the platform that had brought him down here, but it was gone. Moving close to the shaft and craning his neck, Kyle saw that it had risen to the upper level. It stayed there for a number of seconds, and then began descending his way. He waited until it was level with the floor and stepped on. After a few seconds, it rose once more, but came to a stop on the floor above before descending again.

_Oh great!_

Shaking his head in frustration, the operative tried to keep his clear and think. There had to be a way out of here, he just had to figure it out. Musing, he walked to the far side of the room and noticed an opening in the left hand wall. Sticking his head in, he saw a darkened chamber and moving a bit more forward, saw it expanded into a short hallway that extended down a distance until it met another wall. But what really caught the operative's attention were the blinking lights of a recharging station at the end. He all but ran to it and found where someone had left a small cache of thermal detonators. He gathered as many as he could carry while his shield recharged and it was with gratitude to whoever had built this room that he replaced the shield power core and watched the display flash on brightly, displaying 100% power.

_All right! Now, just need to get out of here and…_

He remembered the circuit he had seen in the shaft. Perhaps…

Moving back over there, he waited until the platform had descended to his level once more and stepped onto it. As it rose, Kyle took out his lightsaber and ignited it, the emerald blade created a splash of light in the shaft. As the platform rose and approached the alcove where the circuit was, Kyle slashed out with the blade, cutting the metal members in front of it. Then, after the platform had risen to upper level and began descending once more, he returned the saber to his belt and when the platform got enough below the alcove, he reached out, got a firm grip on the sides and pulled himself up and in. He was surprised to find the alcove was man-sized and enabled to reach the circuit easily. He studied it for a number of minutes, trying to find some way to manipulate it. But after a half dozen failed attempts, Kyle decided to go for the direct approach. Igniting the saber once again, he plunged the emerald into the circuit, closing his eyes against the shower of sparks. Drawing the blade back out, he saw a burnt mark across the face of the circuit now. The only question was, had it done something? Moving to the edge of the alcove, he waited until the platform, having descended to the lower level rose back towards him. He dropped onto it and watched as it ascended to the upper level… and kept going.

_All right! It worked!_

It was then he looked up and saw that the glass window in the ceiling was gone and its place, he could see the sky of Sulon. Feeling triumphant, Kyle waited and watched as the platform rose all the way to ceiling and he passed through the opening and out into the open air. It felt positively freeing, after having been inside Government House. Glancing around, he surmised that some time had passed as the sun had gone down and the stars shone in the dark sky. He stood in a hexagonal opening with raised section of dark permacrete to either side. Without even taking the time to consider what he was going into, Kyle stepped off the platform. A second later, a grate slammed closed over the opening and the platform descended out of sight. The operative felt a gust of wind blow past him, a cold wind.

_I think… I just stepped right into a trap. _

Just then, he heard the unmistakable howl of a TIE engine, but not a fighter. This was lower, a bit more of a growl to it. Movement in the sky several feet ahead and above caught his eye. It was a TIE Bomber; the double hulls a dead giveaway. It descended a bit and then rocketed towards him.

_Oh no way, you don't think…?_

The first blue-white orb dropped from the bomb bay, followed by another and then another. Kyle threw himself flat on the ground as the Bomber roared overhead and some distance to his left. He heard the roar of explosions as the charges the craft had dropped went off. Rising to his knees, Kyle took another look around and felt himself suddenly grow dizzy. It seemed impossible, but his eyes weren't lying. He was on top of one of the towers of Government House, the roof stretching out before him. If he fell from here, the velocity of the fall would kill him way before he actually hit the ground. Suddenly, the TIE Bomber reappeared, coming in from another angle. Kyle dived again as a new string of bombs hit, closer this time.

He was trapped, out in the open, no cover at all.

_Oh man! This is so not fair!

* * *

_

**Jerec's Flagship The **_**Vengeance**_

**In Hyperspace**

Jerec listened, expressionless, as Yun finished his report.

"So, you failed to destroy Katarn."

"Yes, Lord Jerec."

The youth worked to keep the emotion he was feeling out of his voice, but Jerec sensed it nonetheless.

"I warned you not to underestimate him, young one."

"Yes, Lord Jerec, but I…"

Yun stopped talking, realizing he was about to offer an excuse and knowing it was the last thing Jerec wanted to hear.

To his surprise, Jerec said, "Continue."

"My lord, I…"

"Tell me what you were about to say, young one."

The young man heard the force in the Dark Jedi's voice.

"He appeared so weak at first, barely able to command the Force. It wasn't even a fight. But then…"

"He changed, didn't he?" Jerec asked.

Yun said nothing, surprised that Jerec had said the very thing he was thinking.

"Yes, my lord."

"And that is why I told you not to underestimate him."

Jerec let the silence drag on for nearly a minute before speaking again.

"You have failed me, Yun."

"Yes, Lord Jerec."

"Report to Sariss as soon as you return to the ship. She will discuss your 'punishment'".

"Yes, Lord Jerec."

The Dark Jedi smiled again, hearing the fear in the young man's voice. Yun was, in truth, a favorite of his. The boy's vitality and energy, coupled with his single-minded devotion to the Dark Side was, at times, positively stimulating. But with that youth also came inexperience and poor judgment. But that would change. Under Sariss' tutelage and his own, Jerec would mold this young man into a powerful Dark Jedi. It was only a matter of time. He closed the channel, and then ordered another one opened. The bridge crew complied and within seconds a new voice came from the speakers.

"Lord Jerec, this is Commander Arons. How may I serve you?"

"I have heard reports of Katarn's infiltration of your base, Commander."

"Yes… my lord?"

The hesitation in the commander's made Jerec's smile widen. He enjoyed toying with people in this way. The intervening silence dragged until he could no longer contain himself and spoke again.

"You did well, Commander."

"_Thank_ you, Lord Jerec," the commander replied, the relief he felt all but palpable in his voice.

"I need your assistance once again, Commander. I wonder; do you still have your 'pet', the one from Tatooine?"

"Yes, Lord Jerec."

"Have you fed it today?"

"No, but I was about to."

"I wonder if you would delay that for a bit longer, Commander. I have something in mind regarding it."

"As you wish, my lord, what may I do?"

Jerec went on to explain his plan and when he finished speaking, the commander answered.

"It shall be as you wish, Lord Jerec."

"Excellent, Commander, report to me as soon as it is taken care of."

"Yes, Lord Jerec."

After ending the transmission, Jerec turned from the comm panel and looked towards the forward viewport. Though he had no eyes to see the swirling eddies outside, he stared that way for several minutes, contemplating events. He had not been wholly surprised that Katarn had defeated Yun, or that the fledging Jedi had spared the young man's life. But that was of little consequence now. Even if Katarn escaped the trap on the roof, he wouldn't get much farther.

* * *

**Planet Sulon**

**Roof of Government House**

The roof shook mightily again as the TIE Bomber made another run and Kyle worked to maintain his feet. He was relatively safe now, but still trapped with no discernible way off the roof. He looked to the raised area about ten feet away where he had been just a short while ago. After the Bomber had made his second run, he scrambled up onto one of the raised roof sections and scampered to the left, hoping to find something. Instead, he found a turbolaser battery at the far side that opened up on him. Spying an angled ramp that dropped down to another flat area, he had started that way only to find a stormtrooper armed with a repeater rifle. He had used the lightsaber to deflect the incoming fire, but it was so murderous, he was forced to retreat. He tried turning left from where the platform had deposited and found another turbolaser battery and another stormtrooper. This left him with only one option. He dropped down to a lower section and scrambled across a completely open part, diving to one side as the Bomber made another run.

Ahead of him was a high flat wall going straight up. To either side of it were angled sections leading up and out of sight, but no way to get to them. So Kyle ran towards the middle and found yet another stormtrooper lying in wait there. Momentary anger took over and he drew out the saber, running towards the trooper without bothering to try and deflect the incoming fire. He nearly fell as his shield was hit a couple times, but managed to keep running. Approaching the trooper, Kyle didn't go for finesse; he just struck, practically running the stormtrooper through with the emerald beam. It penetrated the armor easily and a second later, the stormtrooper collapsed in a clatter of armor. The ground shook again as the Bomber continued to make its runs, peppering the roof with explosives. Fortunately, where Kyle was formed a corner and shadowed him from the bright starlight and other light sources on the roof, making him all but invisible.

_I can't stay here forever, though. If there was only some way to climb this wall, then maybe…_

_**There **_**is**_** a way, Kyle.**_

_Rahn? What do you mean?_

_**You have already determined the wall cannot be climbed and it would take too long with the grapnel, correct?**_

_Yes._

_**Then I would say your only alternative is to jump.**_

_Jump?_

_**Yes.**_

_Rahn, that's a twenty foot wall. There's no way I can jump it._

_**Have you considered all your resources?**_

_Of course I have, you just said…_

And then Kyle realized what the old Jedi was saying. But he still was unsure.

_Rahn, I've used the Force to make some leaps; but nothing ever this tall. I don't know if I can…_

_**Knowing is not the issue here; Kyle, believing is.**_

_I don't understand._

_**Kyle, one of the keys to using the Force is belief, which becomes trust.**_

_Wait a minute? Are you saying I just need to believe I can jump this wall and that's it?_

_**Of course not, belief by itself brings nothing. But belief with action brings results. You can trust in the Force, Kyle, just as you trust me.**_

The operative looked up at the wall, still feeling unsure. He wanted to believe what Rahn was saying.

"Well, I suppose I can give it a try."

_**And what have I told you about trying?**_

_Okay, okay, Teach. I get it. I'll _do_ it. _

_**That sounds more like a student of mine.**_

_Rahn?_

_**Yes?**_

_Has anyone ever told you that you can be annoying sometimes?_

The old Jedi chuckled.

**Some may**_** have mentioned that.**_

Kyle rolled his eyes and shook his head.

_All right, let's do this thing._

He moved to stand close to the wall.

_**Now, begin your breathing exercise.**_

Kyle complied, drawing air in through his nose and expelling out through his mouth.

_**Now, crouch down like you're going to jump straight up.**_

Bending his knees, Kyle crouched.

_**And when you feel ready, go.**_

Still doing his breathing exercise, Kyle concentrated, trying to imagine his leaping to the top of this wall. And on one of his exhalations, he pushed off, feeling his feet leave the ground as he jumped.

"Whooooaaaaa!"

Eyes wide open, the operative watched as the surface of the wall shot past him as he rose. The lip became visible and a second later he passed it. His momentum slackened and he dropped down, his feet hitting the flat surface of the top of the wall. Kyle bent his knees to absorb the impact, then stood up and looked around. He looked down to where he had just been, his mouth dropping open.

"I almost don't believe it," he said aloud, "but I'm here, I did it."

_**You did well, Kyle. **_

"Thank you," he said, with his voice _and _his mind.

Just then, he heard the roar of the Bomber's engines. It was making another run, right towards him.

"Oh, Sithspit!"

He dodged left, running towards a raised section next to the flat area he was on and climbing up onto it just as the first bombs struck near the wall and tracked up and across where he had just been standing. Waiting until the shockwave had passed; Kyle stood to see where he was and felt his eyes grow wide. He was standing on a ledge barely wide enough for two people. It moved ahead, and then turned to the right, going on for several feet before turning to the right once again, essentially forming three sides of a giant square. Inside the square were four angled shafts dropping down until they were out of sight and composed of a greenish metal. One slip here and who knew how far he'd fall.

_The trip may not be so bad, but that sudden stop at the bottom…_

The Bomber came again, perpendicular to its last attack and Kyle threw himself down on the ledge as the bombs tracked across the space only a few feet behind. After the shaking had stopped, he moved forward, knowing the Bomber would come back and blow him right off the roof if he stayed, assuming the explosive didn't kill him first. He made the first right turn and was moving across the ledge when the Bomber reappeared, but from an unexpected angle, coming from right behind him. Kyle tried to run, but the Bomber was too fast. The sound of explosions grew louder as the bombs tracked up to where he was. One went off only a foot away, the concussion blew him off his feet and into open space. He screamed, fearing this was it. His body flew over one of the large shafts and the support beam dividing it from the others, heading towards the maw of the second one.

_Well, this is it. Goodbye Jan, I'll miss you._

He closed his eyes just as a flash of white caught his eye and then his headlong flight came to an abrupt end and he landed butt first on an opening inside the shaft. The mottled white metal inside described a small down ramp and the operative slid down before coming to rest inside, right at a point where the shaft turned to the right. He lay there for several minutes, eyes still closed, certain that he was dead or about to be. But as the shock wore off and the pain from the impact reached his brain, Kyle realized he was alive. His eyes opened and he looked about where he was. A hysterical smile came to his face and he uttered a whoop of joy. He was alive! Somehow, he was alive! His butt hurt from the sudden and strong impact, but it was almost a sweet pain compared to the joy of not being dead. He sat there a bit longer, letting his racing heart and near hysteria calm down as his eyes and mind took in the scene. He wasn't completely sure what this place was aside from some kind of air shaft. Whatever the case, he _could_ see it wasn't well maintained, There were multiple rust spots on the metal and about six feet away, part of the shaft was beginning to collapse.

Once he felt able, Kyle rose to his feet and began to walk down the shaft, avoiding the most rusted or weakest looking spots in the metal. He went around another right turn and found himself almost face to face with a sentry droid like the ones he had encountered at the start of the mission. It made a strange set of low pitched beeps and was about to bring its weapon to bear when Kyle cut it in half with the saber. Kicking the pieces out of his way, he followed the shaft as it dog-legged to the right and then began to slope down. At one point, he passed over a mesh grid that let him see another air shaft that went straight down until it disappeared from sight. An image of himself falling down passed through mind and the operative quickly moved on. He had gone perhaps another half dozen steps when the shaft abruptly ended. Remnants of metal showed where a covering had once been, but was now wide open. And as Kyle drew near the edge, he gave a disappointed sigh, for below him he heard the sounds of two Imperials talking.

_I just can't get away from these guys._

Lying down inside the shaft, he peered over the edge. Some ten feet below he saw two officers and three stormtroopers standing near a bank of computers. Kyle knew he was going to have to jump, but the metal grid floor below him did not look very soft.

"There's gotta a better way to make a living," he muttered to himself.

In order to make his entrance a bit more effective, he armed two thermal detonators and dropped them into the room. He heard the surprised exclamations, followed by calls to run as they went off. Turning over, Kyle lowered his legs out of the shaft, sliding back until only his arms supported him and then dropped the rest of the way. The metal was just as unforgiving as he had feared, causing him to grimace in pain and let out a cry even as he drew the lightsaber out and activated it. Still stunned from the two detonators, the Imperials were disorganized at best and he slashed out, killing two of them in the first few seconds. The remaining officer drew his blaster, but Kyle spun on his heel, saber flashing. But instead of nailing the officer, he instead cut through the man's blaster. Both of them stared at the truncated weapon for a moment.

Kyle shrugged. "Sorry." And with that, he stabbed out with the emerald blade, killing the Imperial. He looked for and found the last stormtrooper who had run over to a free standing control panel. The Imperial quickly punched a button on it and a massive blast door behind him slid open to reveal another half dozen stormtroopers.

_Lovely, _Kyle thought, deactivating the saber and returning it to his belt. His hand came up, holding the repeater rifle. With the distance between him and the stormtroopers, it was the perfect choice. What laser fire came from them was quickly eclipsed by the stream of yellow-white projectiles from Kyle's weapon. The hallway and adjoining space beyond the blast door became filled with the cries of dying stormtroopers as Kyle blasted them all. When the last one fell, he took a number of deep breaths, sweat dripping down his face from the sudden surprise and exertion. Wiping at his eyes, the operative collected some power packs from the fallen stormtroopers and with nowhere else to go, headed through the now open blast door and into the next room. Here and there along the right hand wall were openings large enough for him to see outside. But all he saw was the sky of Sulon or the outside walls of Government House.

Moving down the hallway bordered on one side by alternating blocks of machinery and dividing pillars, Kyle saw where the right hand wall disappeared and instead a waist high railing was there. The hallway turned to the right and an angled ramp took him down a ways before it turned again and another angled ramp took him down even further towards another corridor. Kyle slowed his progress as he neared it, wary of any more stormtroopers. And sure enough, as he peered around the edge of the left hand wall, there were two more. One was facing away from him, but the other spotted the operative as he moved into view, calling a warning. A brief gun battle ensued and Kyle saw his shield reduced to 70% before he nailed both troopers with the repeater rifle. Looking ahead, he saw this new hallway ended in the closed door of a lift.

_Maybe I can use that to get me to one of the lower levels and get out of here, _he mused.

Looking to his right, he saw another angled ramp that descended down another level and he decided to check this path first. He went around two right hand turns, descending to the next lowest level. Stepping off the ramp, the operative saw he was in a very large space, the ceiling reaching well past the first hallway he had been in. The floor was the same green metal as he had seen in the shafts on the roof and the walls were a mixture of different colors of permacrete, one gray, one brown-white. Looking up, he was still observing when a cry of "Halt!" rang out from somewhere behind. Kyle turned to find two stormtroopers and an Imperial officer from a dark space underneath the ramp he had just come down and all three were firing. Moving more on instinct than anything else, Kyle dropped to the floor on his stomach and held the repeater rifle out in front of him. The tactic worked. Even as the Imperials shifted their fire to where he was, Kyle's weapon mowed them down like so much grass. Once the last one had fallen, he got up and moved that way, taking a few power packs off the bodies before finding a treasure trove of equipment in the space under the stairs, enough to recharge all his weapons and his shield as well as replace the thermal detonators he had used earlier. Feeling some confidence at dealing with this latest threat, Kyle checked the room some more and finding no other exits, walked back up the ramp and to the lift. Pressing the yellow-orange button mounted next to the doors, he waited as the sound of the lift car approaching grew louder by the second. There was a "chunk" sound as it came to a halt and a few seconds later, the door slid open, revealing the interior of the car. Kyle was surprised to find a large box sitting in the middle of the car, although the reason for it soon became clear as he discovered the large hole in the ceiling.

_Guess somebody dropped something._

Pressing the only control button inside the car, Kyle felt it descend and hoped it might be taking him to somewhere where he could get out of this place and have Jan come get him. Thinking her name brought a vision of her face to him and Kyle suddenly realized that he wanted to see her. It was a strange feeling, not one he was quite accustomed to. It wasn't a feeling like friendship and not exactly like love, but closer to the latter than the former. He was in the middle of this musing when the elevator came to a halt and the door slid open. But instead of another corridor or entrance to the hangar or other form of exit, the operative found himself a featureless of dull gray permacrete. It made think of the inside of his cell that time back on the _New Hope_. A small opening in the wall on his right allowed him a view of the space outside and as he looked at the columns and the openings in the wall and the way they were arranged, one thought came to his mind.

_It's a hangar!_

Less than a half dozen steps away, Kyle spotted a lift platform and eagerly stepped onto it. The mechanism engaged and the lift began to descend, albeit a bit slowly. Kyle waited as patiently as he could, looking as the room came into view. However, instead of a space full of ships, he found a square room with a green stripe running lengthwise and widthwise on it and conspicuously empty. The wall to his left was mostly open to air, although bordered by some metal pillars dividing the big opening into four square ones. There was also a smaller room just ahead and to his right with a few boxes in it, but nothing else. He was just about to turn around and get back on the lift when he spotted a pair of double doors on the far side of the room. Their construction was very similar to what was used in a hangar bay, such that Kyle thought that possibly there was a ship beyond them. He decided to check it out and stepped off the lift. He had taken only a few steps into the room when the double doors slid open. But instead of a ship, Kyle saw something he never expected to see outside of a book. His eyes went wide as it moved and his fight or flee instinct kicked in. He turned to get back aboard the lift, but it was rising, and already too high for him to get to it.

_I don't believe this! Another trap!_

However, unlike the roof, Kyle had nowhere to go this time. And his enemy this time was far more fierce and brutal. For the 'pet' Commander Arons had been keeping for some time was a Canyon Krayt Dragon. Somewhat smaller than a Great Krayt at nearly a hundred feet long and over 30 feet high, this species was no less deadly than its larger cousin. The crown of its head was studded with five very thick and very sharp horns. The back of the beast was dotted with all kind of similar spines although not as thick and even more spikes were visible on its tail. The creature's mottled green skin stood out in stark contrast to the mixture of gray and white permacrete in the room and focused your attention on the beast all the more. It moved past the open doors and into the large space. Two small, black eyes shifted this way and that before locating the quarry its nose had told it was there. It advanced, each massive striking the ground with great force, shaking the deck. Kyle watched it come, unmoving, almost paralyzed by the sight of the massive beast. But where his mind was clouded, his body was clear, and it reacted. He ran to the left to get away from the dragon, but it turned with a nimbleness belied by its massive size and blocked that avenue. He tried dodging right and the same thing happened. The beast took another step forward, no more than six feet away. Its massive jaw opened and the operative could see row after row of gleaming white and sharp teeth. A high-pitched roar emanated from the beast and was almost deafening, even in such a large space. Kyle tried to move again, to dodge past, but the beast seemed to anticipate his every move.

_No choice then, I've gotta fight it. But how?_

Even as he thought this, his mind seemed to clear and joined the rest of him. He pulled out his blaster and fired; only to have the shot harmlessly ricochet off the beast's thick hide. He tried the bowcaster, then the repeater rifle and got the same results. That left only a few options, one of which he exercised now. Out came the saber and the beast stopped as the emerald beam lit up with a _snap-hiss_. It seemed to study the energy blade as if trying to figure out what it was. But then, it let out another massive roar and to Kyle's amazement, the beast leapt forward, crashing down on the deck barely a foot away. It's massive extended and its jaws opened and then snapped closed… right on the blade of the lightsaber. A sickly smell filled the air as the energy blade burnt through flesh and the beast screamed in pain as it opened its jaws again. Suddenly it pivoted, swinging its massive bulk around. The spike-filled tail swung Kyle's way and he held up the saber to defend himself. But the beast swung its tail low and the operative screamed himself as it struck him with a force beyond description. He flew several feet before crashing to the deck on his side. He lay there for a number of seconds, his body on fire. And when he tried to move, there was a stabbing pain in his chest.

_Great,_ he thought, _busted a rib._

He felt sticky wetness on his face and reached a hand up to find blood flowing down past his cheek. The beast was still screaming in pain from the lightsaber wound and was thrashing all about the room, its tail swinging and smashing into the walls and floor. Despite the pain in his chest and feeling extremely woozy, Kyle forced himself to sit up and then, with a pain-wracked scream, rise to his feet. Fortunately, his lightsaber had landed nearby and after a few, tottering steps, he was able to recover the weapon. He activated it just as the dragon turned his way, holding it with one hand while clutching his side with the free one. Every breath brought pain with it. Upon seeing the shimmering blade, the beast roared and backed up a step. Seeing this, Kyle advanced a step and the beast backed up another one.

"Didn't like the taste of this, did ya?" he said.

But suddenly, the Krayt dragon leapt again, landing mere inches from Kyle this time. Despite the pain it caused, he slashed the weapon crosswise and scored a hit on the beast's nose. It screamed again, the sound all but deafening the operative as it leapt away and swung its tail again. With a cry of his own; Kyle crouched and held his lightsaber out, scoring a hit on the spiked tail. The beast screamed even louder as it drew its tail away. The operative thought it might back off, but the beast was not done yet. It turned to face him once more and he could almost tell it was going to leap at him again. His strength was beginning to fade and he knew he couldn't take much more of this. He had only other weapon he hadn't tried on the beast. Letting go of his side, he reached to his belt and drew out a strap with four detonators on it. Moving as quickly as he could, he armed all four and was about to throw them when the Krayt dragon leapt. It landed close to him, its jaw mere inches from him. The massive maw opened and, seizing the opportunity, Kyle slung the detonators into it. The beast's mouth snapped shut with a massive crunch. Seconds passed without a change and the operative feared all was lost. But then, the first dull pop came from somewhere inside the dragon's body. It was followed by a second, then a third and finally the last detonator exploding. The beast's body seemed to bulge slightly as the detonators went off. Its mouth opened again, but instead of another roar, Kyle heard a low-pitched death rattle as the Krayt dragon's eyes lost focus and with a massive crash, its body collapsed to the deck.

The operative stood there, breathing heavily, groaning in pain, waiting to see if the beast moved again. When it didn't, he stepped forward and drove the lightsaber blade through its massive head with a scream born of pain, anger and triumph. Drawing the blade back out, he deactivated the weapon and returned it to his belt. He fought to keep his mind clear, to think of what to do next. The lift was still gone and there seemed no other way out. Then came a flash of insight and fighting against the pain, he half-walked, half-stumbled towards the space where the beast had emerged from. The room was large, but featureless, gray permacrete everywhere. The operative began to despair when his eyes caught sight of a control switch near the floor. It seemed like an odd place, but at this moment, he'd take what he could get. It hurt too much to bend so, bracing himself against the wall; Kyle touched his boot to the switch and was rewarded with the sound of a door sliding open. He looked to his right and saw where part of what he had assumed was solid wall was actually. It slid open, revealing a darkened space with very little in it except for a large container with the sign for medical supplies on it as well as another switch near the floor.

_Let's hope this box isn't part of the trap, _he thought, reaching down to it.

The box turned out to be a portable med station, capable of treating battlefield injuries and stabilizing more severe patients. Sitting down heavily next to it and emitting another groan of pain, Kyle found a code chart on the inside of the case and entered one of the codes on the small keypad. Seconds later, the system went to work, analyzing his injuries and computing, per its electronic brain, the most effective treatment. It sealed the cut on his head and injected a number of stimulants and painkillers into his body. It couldn't repair the broken rib, but injected an agent to keep the broken bone from moving around and causing further damage. When all was done and the system turned itself off, Kyle felt significantly better. His chest still hurt, but the pain was far less than before. And when he got to his feet, it hurt only a little more.

_I've gotta find an exit from here, ASAP._

Moving to switch near the floor, he keyed it with his boot and heard a whining sound from somewhere outside. Moving that way, he went past the body of the Krayt dragon and saw the lift coming back down. Relief washed through as he realized he could get out of here now. When the lift finally reached the floor, he stepped onto and a few seconds later, it began to rise, albeit slowly. Upon reaching the level where the elevator was, Kyle heard the sound of a car coming and drew out his blaster just as the door opened and a black-clad Imperial officer stepped out. Catching sight of Kyle, the officer stared in stunned shock.

"You… you're alive? But how? You should be dead. My pet should have…"

The confusion was replaced with a look of horror, mixed with anger.

"What did you do? What did you do to my pet?"

"I killed it." Kyle said simply.

"You… you animal!" the Imperial screamed, going for his gun.

He never got there. A single shot from Kyle's blaster took him out.

Shaking his head, the operative stepped over the body and moved to the elevator. And this time, when he pressed the button, the elevator rose, stopping at the level where Kyle had first got on it. He tried the button again, but the elevator would go no higher.

_Well, this ain't gonna work. _

Looking at the box sitting in the elevator with him and the hole in the ceiling, Kyle got an idea. Stepping up onto the box brought him nearly level with the ceiling. He was able to grab hold and pushing off with his feet, lever himself onto the top of the car. Looking around he could see he was in the elevator shaft and noticed a second car rising in the other shaft.

_Should've taken that one,_ he thought.

There seemed nowhere to go from here until he spotted an alcove to his right. It extended up several and was large enough for two or three men to stand on. Given that it was some feet below him, Kyle used his grapnel to lower himself onto one of the support beams in the shaft and then, after securing a hold on the ceiling of the alcove, he jumped across, using the grapnel to minimize the impact of the landing. A maintenance shaft was before him and one swing of the lightsaber cut a good-sized hole in the grate covering it. Kyle walked through the makeshift corridor and after negotiating a ridiculously narrow series of ledges to another maintenance corridor; he made his way across a series of perilous jumps in a second elevator shaft to a large duct with a set of massive steel doors in its floor. Hoping there might be an exit from here to a less dangerous place, Kyle began to walk across the doors when they suddenly opened.

Kyle looked down and saw nothing but darkness as he began to fall.

"Not agaaaaaaaaaaain!"


	25. Chapter 25: Dangerous Paths

**Kyle Katarn: The Rise & Fall **

**Book 2: Birth of a Jedi **

**Chapter 25: Dangerous Paths

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A/N: Hello again everyone. Shanesnest has emerged from the piles of snow and ice to deliver, albeit late, the next chapter of Kyle Katarn: The Rise & Fall Book 2: Birth of a Jedi. About the delay, down here in Richmond, we've been not one, not two, but three practically back-to-back snowstorms and I am _SO_ done with snow! No sooner do I get my car cleaned off than it's buried again! But compared to things in Washington and Northern VA, I'm in far better shape than they. Also, last Thursday was my birthday, so I took a little extra time off for that. And then, during the second snowstorm, my computer suddenly went on the fritz! Not sure if it's dead or not, but I'm having it check out now and may end up having to replace it. Fortunately, my Mom was gracious enough to let me use her computer to get this chapter ready and so I am back with the story's continuation. And in this chapter, I've concluded the mission to Government House. But what a finish it is! Truly, the designers of that level in the game were beyond cruel! And wait'll you see the mission that's coming! But for now, enjoy the new chapter! And now to the shout outs!

Tinuviel Undomiel: Yeah, the Krayt dragon is definitely not an easy or fun battle. I know the one you're talking about in KOTOR. As memory serves, that was a bull Katarn, one of the biggest! Yeah, Kyle's dance with the Dark Side got really close this time. Fortunately, Rahn was there for him. Jan's voice? Why did Kyle hear it? I'm not 100% sure myself, but I imagined it as a voice Kyle would listen, someone to shock him out of his headlong path and get him to reconsider. Who else but she could do it? Believe you me, on that particular level in the game, it looks like you're gonna die several times! But that particular scene, I tried to think about Kyle facing his mortality and what it'd mean to him. Yeah, I try and mix actual game scenes with my own stuff, especially where I think the game illustration isn't clear enough. Congrats on the new computer, hope you enjoy it!

Nerwen Aldarion: That's exactly how I felt when playing that part of the level. It's like you've navigated all these treacherous areas, nearly fallen to your death a dozen times and now this! The Dark Side definitely had ahold of him this time, no doubt. Nah, Sariss won't cut off his hand, but Yun will probably wish she did in the end. Put it this way, it's true you only die once, but you'd be surprised what you can live through. I hated the dragon battle at first before I realized you could drop the detonators on him before going in with the saber! I noticed the Katarn name in KOTOR as well. Makes you wonder about Kyle's family's lineage, doesn't it? I may have to check it out. Glad to hear things are working out with Coach Dooley. And learning 'bout football? Don't get me started. My dad was virtually a football junkie and I more or less had to learn things that I didn't necessarily want to. Now that I'm older, I've had to relearn some things. Wonder if I mentally blocked those old lessons out? Given what you said in the last sentence of your review, I'll be interested to see what you think of the end of this chapter, hint hint.

Phygmalion: Well thanks, I think. Put it this way. I've never written a lightsaber duel before and so had to try and figure it out plus I didn't want to just copy how a published author would do it. I agree with you about the blindness attack. It's like how the hell can I beat this guy if I can't even see him?! Given how Yun looked after the duel, I figured that's what Kyle had done, well either that or given him the ultimate tickle torture! You're right about the dragon, I checked it out after reading your review, my bad. I'll get a job in time; just have to be patient.

Darth Red: Rafer Weigel, eh? I'm gonna look that up to see what I can find out about him. I thought he did a great job as Yun, especially later on in the game when Sariss kills him, he showed how Yun wasn't necessarily all Dark Side. I want to have Rahn teaching Kyle some more about lightsaber combat, I just didn't know if doing it during the Dragon battle would work or not. I definitely hear you and will keep your thoughts in mind.

Jelfia Maleak on Chap 23: Appreciate the compliment, thank you. Sorry if I made you late for work, but glad you like the story nonetheless. I'll try and not make so many mistakes, thanks for telling me.

Jelfia Maleak on Chap 23: Once again, thank you; definitely love the compliments. It's a real shot in the arm for me and makes the effort to create these chapters well worth it.

Manus Dei: I couldn't agree with you more about the level name! I mean, jeez! Do they want to win it or not?! The dragon is actually in the game, but as I recently learned, it was a Kell Dragon, not a Krayt. You're not kidding, Kyle almost needs his own med droid to follow him around on this level.

RayGallade and Luigicario: A new reviewer! Welcome! Thanks so much for the compliment; it is very much appreciated. And I hope you continue to enjoy the story. I also like the "In God We Trust" after your screename.

A/N: Well, it sounds like I need to work on my lightsaber duels for future chapters, and definitely need to do some better editing than I've been doing. And so I shall take on these challenges and endeavor to win them both! Seriously, thanks to everyone for your reviews and criticism. At the end of the day, it's going to make me a better writer. And with that, please enjoy the new chapter and send me your comments and reviews!

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**Planet Sulon**

**An airshaft somewhere in the bowels of Government House**

He fell straight down for several feet and was beginning to think that the Imps had got him this time when the shaft suddenly curved, the raised ribs in it slowing his forward progress until he came to a relatively gentle halt near the bottom where the shaft leveled out. Heart racing, breath coming in gasps, Kyle sat there for a while, wondering just what kind of sick and twisted mind had come up with all this. If he ever found them…

In time, he got to feet and studied his surroundings. He was at the bottom of a large airshaft and saw that it ended abruptly a short distance away. One of the other towers of Government House was visible, but too far to reach or jump to. A glance over the edge of the shaft showed him that he was a little closer to the ground, but a fall from here would be no less lethal than from the roof. Since going any further forward was a ticket to certain death, he looked for another way. The walls to his left and right rose above him as they sloped up and am first seemed impassible, but then he found handholds that allowed him to climb up to the top of one of the walls and over a permacrete barrier. Looking around from this higher perch, Kyle saw where a section of slightly angled permacrete projected out about six feet from the side of the building. It formed a kind of path that disappeared into gloom and darkness after a distance. He was trying to gauge whether or not it would be safe to use when a shout arose.

"Hold it right there!"

Out of the gloom beyond the visible part of the path came three stormtroopers. Two were holding blasters, but the third displayed a weapon Kyle didn't recognize. Quickly he reached across his body and activated his shield before reaching for his own blaster.

"Drop your weapon!"

_Not likely. _

Just then, the trooper carrying the mysterious weapon fired. Kyle saw a projectile heading his way even as he opened fire with his own weapon, nailing one of the blaster-carrying troopers. Trailing smoke, the projectile seemed to be flying over him when it suddenly dived and impacted his shield. The force was minimal and Kyle wasn't worried at first since the lack of an immediate explosion seemed to indicate the weapon was a dud. But for some reason, it stayed lodged in his shield and was making an odd hissing noise. Too late the operative realized what was going on, seconds before the projectile _did_ explode. Fire filled his vision as the force of the blast knocked him back and off his feet and until he hit the opposite wall of the shaft. The impact was stunning and Kyle felt the air leave him as his vision grayed a bit.

_Heat seeker, _he realized, _shoulda figured that out when it lodged in the shield._

Fighting to get his breath back, the operative rolled onto his side and got to his knees slowly. It was then that his groggy brain told him his blaster was gone. He looked around, but the weapon was gone.

_It's probably somewhere between here and the ground then, _he thought.

He considered using the repeater rifle, but decided that he needed his most powerful weapon to take out the troopers with one shot; and that meant the bowcaster. He pulled it out and checked that the weapon was charged and ready. But he didn't get up or try to surmount the pipe wall a second time. Given the obvious power of the weapon the one trooper carried, Kyle surmised that the best thing to do was wait and see if they'd come after him. So he sat there, weapon in hand, taking advantage of the momentary break to allow his aching body to recover a little. Time passed as the sound of the troopers' booted feet drew closer. He then a grunting sound.

_Sounds like one of 'em is climbing the wall. _

Sure enough, a white faceplate came into view several seconds later. Kyle fired, using the secondary trigger to send a single, precise and deadly blast. The Imperial uttered a short cry as he was hit and then fell out sight, the clatter of his armor audible as he hit the ground. Kyle heard the startled exclamation of the second trooper and waited to see if would come charging over the wall. But as time passed, the operative saw this stormtrooper actually had a brain and knew how to use it, at least enough to learn the lesson of the first one's recklessness. Instead, of charging in, the second trooper launched more projectiles from his weapon. They stuck in the sides of the building, some landing in the walls above Kyle's head. As they exploded, the operative found himself uncomfortably showered with chips of permacrete and clouds of dust. The operative knew the trooper was trying to spook him into moving, but he didn't respond to the tactic. He knew from his Imperial training that the trooper would trying to wait him out, hoping Kyle would make a mistake. Instead, he did what the trooper never expected. Moving as quietly as he could, he crawled over to the other side of the pipe and pulled out two of his remaining four detonators. Then, as the trooper launched another projectile, Kyle armed the two devices and lofted them over the lip of the pipe and down the other side.

He heard the surprised cry of the stormtrooper as the silvery orbs came into view and heard the sound of his booted feet moving away quickly. Both devices went off within seconds of each other and even before the first echo died away, Kyle scrambled over the lip of the pipe and fired his bowcaster one, twice, three times, not so much seeing the enemy as firing where he thought the trooper might be. The first two shots ricocheted off walls without a sound, but the operative heard a cry of pain as he fired the third one. Lowering himself over to the other side of the wall, he crept forward, finger poised on the bowcaster's trigger. Suddenly, a shadow ahead of him moved and the stormtroopers weapon came into view.

"Hands up!"

Both men fired at nearly the same time. The trooper cried out again and fell to the ground as Kyle shot caught him in the chest and penetrated the armor. In return, his projectile struck the overhang of permacrete above Kyle and when it exploded, a chunk of wall struck the operative in the head, driving him to his knees. He stayed like that for a while, trying not to black out and fighting the avalanche of pain. Minutes passed before he was able to get to his feet. Staggering a little, the operative moved over to the body of the stormtrooper and picked up the weapon lying next to the body. It was large, easily as long as the repeater rifle, but with a thicker and bigger body. Just past the trigger and stock was a dark metal-colored rectangular, box-like structure that carried the weapons electronics and targeting sensors. In front of this were three smaller rectangles arranged in a rough triangle that held the ammunition, rocket powered projectiles. This section of it was also colored like dark metal with a checkerboard of yellow squares closer to the muzzle end. The muzzle itself was comprised of two rust-colored rails, reinforced on the sides by metal supports. Kyle could feel that it was a fairly heavy weapon, requiring a two-handed grip, but it was also well balanced. Holding the weapon firmly, he gave the trigger an experimental pull and the weapon bucked strongly as a yellow-colored rocket shot from the muzzle with a metallic sliding sound.

_Wow, _Kyle thought, a sly smile coming to his face, _can't wait to try this thing out on some Imps._

Taking the rail gun with him, Kyle moved across the permacrete ledge and after a little searching found and opening where the permacrete ended and the silvery and black squares with the metal honeycomb inside like he had seen in the underground chamber earlier. He followed them forward to where the path ended and he had to lower himself over a short drop off to a platform below comprised of the same silvery and black squares with a mesh grid at the very edge. But what really got the operative's attention was the sound, which had growing in volume since he started down this path. It was a sound like air moving at high speed. It would get louder and faster and then slower and quieter before speeding up again. The source of the sound became evident as, standing on this platform, Kyle could look down on a pipe similar to the one he had landed in a short bit ago. Unlike that one, however, _this_ one was in operation, moving air at an incredible volume out of the tower. Looking around, the operative could see no other path available to him and like the pipe from before, this one ended abruptly and there was only open air beyond.

He muttered a curse, feeling trapped, seemingly with nowhere to go. But then his eyes caught another section of airshaft. It was mounted in the tower across the way, the distance between the two shafts at least twenty feet. Looking at it, he realized this other section was precisely lined up with the one he was closest. From his mind sprang, but one so insane, it was all but incomprehensible.

"You've _got_ to be _kidding_ me!" he exclaimed over a gust of wind.

But as he looked about and considered the paths he had taken to get here and the potential effort to try and retrace his path, the operative came to a single, inevitable, if troubling conclusion. He was going to have to try and ride the airflow over to the other pipe. The timing would need to be incredibly precise. A second early or late, and he 'd either have a long fall to the ground or a short, sharp and probably painful impact into the other pipe. A grimace came to his face as he considered what he was about to do.

_I swear, when I find that blasted droid, I'm gonna blast that head right off him!_

Kyle took several minutes to listen to the airflow, gauging the moments when it sped up and when it slackened. He finally got it down to a precise number of seconds and when the wind cycle began to slow once more, he lowered himself into the pipe. The wind pushed at him, ruffling his hair and clothes, but nowhere near enough to push him back. He looked into the pipe and saw there was a walkway to one side. Curious, he mounted it, going up into the pipe until it leveled off. The walkway continued a bit further before ending around a pit-like structure that dropped down several feet to a mesh grid floor. As Kyle studied this, the wind cycle began to crank up, the air coming faster and faster. He felt concern, but after a few seconds, realized he was safe. The walkway was situated in an area where the eddying wind touched only a little bit. The sound of the rushing air grew louder until it became a howl and Kyle found himself imagining what it would feel like. The whole key to this idea of his was to ride this wild wind over to the other side. And for that he'd need as much of the pipe as he could use to get the right speed to make the leap. That's when a new idea hit him. As the wind began to decelerate, Kyle stepped off the walkway and jumped into the pit.

The rushing wind, still slowing down, caught and held him there for a few seconds, then gently began to lower him into the pit until his feet touched the mesh floor.

_It worked! Now, if I can just ride this next cycle…_

He stood there in the pit, waiting as the wind spiraled to almost nothing. He began to count the seconds until it would start again.

_Four… five… six… seven…_

Right on time, he felt the wind begin to spiral up again.

_Here it comes._

He suddenly found himself thinking of Jan, seeing her face in his mind. He felt his heart thump a bit faster and realized that not only did he have to do this thing, he _wanted_ to. He wanted to see his partner again. He wanted to…

Just then, the spiraling wind began to lift his feet off the deck. Kyle pushed off, working to add momentum to his rising. The wind continued to speed up, pushing him and higher until his head became level with the horizontal section of the pipe. Higher he went as the wind pushed him, his chest clearing the lip, then his waist, followed by his legs. When his feet touched the horizontal pipe, Kyle angled his body forward and dashed forward, feeling his speed increasing as the wind pushed him from behind. He shot down the angled section of pipe, moving faster by the second and as the end of the pipe got close, he pushed off and jumped.

When asked later what it was like, Kyle would have a difficult time describing it. It was like experiencing a trampoline and a slide at the same moment. He sailed into open, seeing the precipitous drop below him. Looking ahead, he saw the other pipe coming closer. Suddenly, he realized something was wrong.

_Sithspit! I'm going too fast! When I hit that other pipe…_

He could see it clearer now, especially the thick metal mesh grate just inside. At the speed he was going, when he hit that…

_This is really gonna hurt._

He wanted to close his eyes, so as not to see what was coming, but he couldn't. The pipe grew ever closer, its details becoming clearer. And then, unexpectedly, he began to slow. The operative realize he no longer felt the insistent push in his back from the current of wind. And as it abated, he began to fall down. There was no time to think, only to react. He drew his knees up, wrapping his arms around them as he tucked his head into his chest, trying to make himself into a ball. The sky around him seemed to rotate and then…

"AAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!

The scream was long and drawn out as he hit the bottom of the pipe, bounced slightly and smashed into the metal grate at the back. His air left him in a loud whoosh as he bounced off the grate and fell to the floor of the pipe, coming to rest only a few inches from the lip. Minutes passed as he lay there, not moving, seemingly dead. His eyes were tightly closed now, not seeing anything. More time passed and as a gust of wind ruffled his clothes, the operative stirred slightly. Consciousness returned almost reluctantly, his senses seeming to return one by one. The first thing that came to his mind was the feel of the metal of the pipe. His right hand reached, touching the surface, confirming that he was indeed lying on it.

_Guess I'm not dead, _he thought. But in the next second, the operative almost wished he was. Sensation and feeling returned all at once, and with it a river of nearly overwhelming pain. Every part of his body seemed to ache and throb. It felt as if every joint, every bone, every muscle had been pummeled into sharp shards of broken glass. More minutes passed as Kyle did his best to overcome the pain. He knew he needed to move, to get out of this place, but he hurt so much, just blinking his eyes seemed to require effort. It was nearly a half hour later before the pain had reduced to the point that he could move without feeling as if a sledgehammer was ramming into him. He realized he was lying face down on the pipe and was way too close to the edge of it. Using his hands and forearms, he pushed himself backwards, away from the edge, fighting the cacophony of aches that this effort brought him.

Still lying prone, he reached without looking to his belt and gratefully found his last medpack. It took a number of minutes for him to inject the contents into his body, but after he did, the pain reduced from pure agony to a more manageable level of misery. With an effort, he rolled his body onto its side and with a fresh scream, sat himself up, his back touching the metal grate in the pipe. He stayed like this for a while longer, trying to overcome the pain wracking his body from one to the other. More than once he tried to reach out to the Force for help, but his mind was still too jumbled to concentrate effectively.

He cursed 8t88 again and again, and swore vengeance on the droid, imagining a number of grotesque fates for it. Wind swirled in and out of the space he was in, brushing up against him and feeling oddly comforting. Suddenly, the operative realized there was a beeping sound coming from somewhere in the pipe. Despite his aching limbs, he concentrated and realized the sound was coming from his communicator. Reaching slowly down to his belt, he found and extracted the device; surprised to see it wasn't damaged. It was powered off, but the incoming transmission light and alarm were going off. Kyle remembered Jan's earlier warning about the Imps tapping their signal, but at this moment, he didn't really care that much. He flipped the device on.

"Katarn here," he croaked.

"Kyle? Kyle, is that you?"

He recognized Jan's voice and heard the urgency in it.

"I'm here."

"What's wrong?" she asked, concern in her voice, "your voice sounds strange."

"No time, partner. Suffice it to say I'm in bad shape but am trying to get out of here."

"Where are you?"

"Exhaust pipe somewhere on the towers of Government House."

"You mean you're outside?"

"Uh-huh."

"Kyle," she said gravely, "Wee Gee just confirmed your signal is emanating from an airshaft on the south tower."

"Oh, okay."

"Kyle, you're three hundred feet up."

"Wow, really?"

"Katarn," she said evenly, "this is not a joke. I'm serious here."

"I _believe_ you."

"Look, the Imps are tapping our signal, but I'm getting concerned here. Are you all right?"

He chuckled and then groaned.

"Pretty far from that, partner."

There was a pause.

"Wee Gee's says we'd be flying right into a security zone, but we could try to come get you."

For a moment, Kyle almost said yes. His body hurt all over and he was tired, so blasted tired. He just wanted to get out of here and go home. But, with a sudden flash of clarity, he realized that he couldn't give in. Even if Jan could get here, the turbolaser emplacements around the building would make picking him up a dangerous proposition at best.

Drawing in a breath, he did his best to speak normally.

"No, don't come here, Jan. It's not safe."

"Kyle…"

"Look, I'm hurt, but I can make it."

There was another, longer pause.

"Are you sure?"

"Yes," he said firmly, and then had another flash of insight. "Listen, can Wee Gee confirm if there's a landing platform anywhere nearby?"

"Hang on."

He heard her speak to the droid.

"I don't believe this. Wee Gee says there's one at the top of the tower where you are."

"Good, I'll make my way there and signal you."

Jan paused again before replying. When she spoke again, her tone was far from pleased, but resigned.

"All right. But you've got one hour, Katarn. After that, I'm coming in whether you like it or not."

"Got it. See you soon, partner."

"You'd better," she replied and clicked off.

Returning the communicator to his belt, Kyle contemplated what to do next. He knew he was going to have to get moving, and soon. Who knew how far away the rooftop landing platform was? The sooner he got there, the better.

_I'm just going to have to move, no matter how much it hurts. _

Reaching up to the metal grate behind him, he got a firm grip with his right hand and closing his eyes, gave a sharp, strong yank. The scream came a second later as his hurting body made it clear how much it resented being told to move when it didn't want to. Sweat popped out all over his face and head and he began to pant a little. Opening his eyes just enough to see, Kyle smiled a little as he saw that he had gotten his feet under him. His left hand joined his right and with another yank, he stood. Minutes passed as the waves of pain radiating through him finally began to abate somewhat. More than once the operative felt as if he might pass out, but each time he forced himself back to consciousness with a single thought.

_When I get a hold of that blasted droid…_

Still holding onto the grate with one hand, he tried to move his legs. A throbbing ache came as he took a small step, but compared to how it had felt just getting up, this pain was manageable. Letting go of the grate, Kyle tried another step and found his legs _would_ support him, although they did feel very weak. He checked out his surroundings, moving towards the edge of the pipe and finding a small ledge on either side. He carefully and slowly climbed the one to his right and found himself on top of the airshaft. Strangely, the metal her was a silvery color instead of the green he had seen inside the pipe. Walls of gray and green permacrete enclosed him on either side and would have made the space completely dark if not for a group of yellow orange lamps arranged along the walls. Kyle waited until his eyes had adjusted enough to see the path in front of him, and then proceeded forward, walking along the pipe. Barely five minutes had passed when the left hand wall suddenly turned to the right, partially blocking the path. However, enough room was available to the right that he was able to keep going. But when he passed this partial obstruction, Kyle's eyes went wide as he saw that just ahead there was no more left hand wall, only an open space between floor and ceiling that allowed him to see outside as well as demonstrate once again just how high up he was.

_I'd better be really careful here. _

As he moved ahead, Kyle saw where the right hand wall turned in much as the left hand wall had, forcing him onto the left hand side of the path now. As he moved that way, the space beyond became visible. It wasn't much, a rectangular room with a black floor and permacrete walls, some of them showing machinery embedded in them. What got the operative's attention was the ceiling mounted turbolaser battery and two stormtroopers, one of them carrying a rail gun. The barrels of the turbolaser turned his way and fired. But this first, quick shot was poorly aimed and went over his head before expending itself in the wall behind him. Kyle knew the targeting computer in the turbolaser would be recomputing its aim within seconds. Reaching down to his belt, the operative decided now was a good a time as any to give the rail gun he had taken a field test. His arms quivered with tension as he pulled the weapon out. Given the state he was in, Kyle decided to worry less about aiming and more about firing. He pulled the trigger and let out a cry as the weapon bucked, sending a fresh jolt of pain through him. But the projectile flew straight and true, striking the turbolaser battery and exploding, obliterating the emplacement. Just then, a laser blast struck the ceiling just above his head and Kyle knew he was going to have to endure another shot. Taking a deep breath, he reached for the rifle's trigger and pulled it. However, what he didn't realize until a few seconds later was that he had pulled the weapon's secondary trigger.

The weapon bucked painfully once again as a projectile flew from the muzzle. But unlike the one before, this one flew right at one of the stormtroopers and embedded itself in his armor. The Imperial looked down at his chest, barely affected by the impact and Kyle shook his head.

_Great! A dud!_

Two seconds later, the projectile exploded with a great noise, taking out both stormtroopers. Standing where he was, Kyle felt his mouth drop open in surprise. He looked down at the weapon in his hands and shook his head again, this time in astonishment as a small smile appeared on his face.

_Oh-kay, I am definitely starting to like this thing. _

With the immediate threats taken care of, Kyle safed the weapon and returned it to his belt before proceeding forward. Another landing appeared and he carefully stepped down onto it, going only a few more steps before finding the path ended. Though they were level with each other, the rectangular space where the troopers had been and where Kyle stood was separated by a gap. It was not a large one, but in his condition, he didn't feel confident in trying to jump in it. He wondered if his earlier boast had been just that. It seemed he could go no further.

_Guess I'm waiting here. _

He looked about, wondering if Jan could safely get the _Crow _in here. Moving to lean up against the right hand wall, his foot kicked a piece of permacrete lying on the ground. It fell into the gap and disappeared. But after a few seconds, Kyle heard it hit something, something close.

_You don't suppose… _he thought, moving towards the edge of the gap. Another groan escaped his lips as he crouched down to peer into the space. At first, he couldn't see anything. The area inside the gap was dark and unrevealing. Retrieving his luma, Kyle shined the beam into the gap and with a feeling of hope saw there was a ledge about eight feet down with a second one beyond that. He quickly studied the ceiling and nodded in satisfaction as he put the luma back and retrieved the grapnel. He fired the hook into the ceiling and sitting down at the edge of the gap, used the device to lower himself inside and to the first ledge. It was narrow, barely wide enough for his feet, but it was solid. After enduring the effort needed to retract the grapnel hook, he shined his luma downwards and spotted two more ledges. It took a strong effort from him and use of the grapnel to make it the rest of the way. But twenty minutes later, he was standing on the lowest level. It was very dark and he had to use his luma to keep from stumbling. There were a number of boxes here and he had to navigate his way around them as he explored. At first, it seemed the space was a dead end and the operative felt despair beginning to resurface. But then, in a corner closest to where he had landed, he spotted an opening. It was not large, perhaps four feet in height, but looked wide enough for him to crawl through. He was in the process of crouching down when he heard a voice from the other side.

"I'm telling you, I saw a light."

"Look, I know you're bored, but quit making stuff up. There's no one here except for our squad."

"I'm not making things up. I _know_ I saw a light."

There was a tired sigh, then, "Fine, let's check it out. Then, we need to get back on station."

Kyle heard the sound of armor as the stormtrooper crouched to look through the opening.

"Hey, I think I saw something. It's… AAAHHHH!"

The scream came as Kyle stuck the nose of the rail gun inside the opening and fired. The projectile crashed directly into the troopers' faceplate and exploded. Another scream arose as a lethal shower of fragments hit the second trooper. Kyle heard the clatter of armor as the lifeless bodies fell to the ground. He looked at the rail gun again.

_Yep, _definitely_ beginning to like you._

After waiting a time to see if the sounds had alerted any other troopers, Kyle crawled through the opening, moving past the body of one of the stormtroopers. He emerged into what could only be called a very strange room. At first the entire space seemed shrouded in darkness, then a beam of light flashed into the space, moving across the walls and floor before disappearing again. Kyle looked around and, in the flashes of light, saw that he was standing on a roughly circular permacrete pad and above was yet another airshaft, moving up until it was lost from sight. Ahead of him, the floor rose slightly and he could it was made of the squares of mesh bordered by the silvery metal squares. One wall of the room was made of the same material whereas the opposite one was solid permacrete. The curved roof was literally stuffed with machinery. As Kyle carefully moved about, using the light to guide his steps, he found a door-sized opening the right hand wall. Peering through, he saw another room and decided to investigate. But for safety's sake, he brought out the rail gun in case he wasn't alone here. He was only a few steps inside the room when he discovered his decision had been the right one. An Imperial office and a stormtrooper stood several feet away, the officer calling for Kyle to drop his weapon.

Instead, the operative turned the rail gun towards them and fired. A projectile leapt from the muzzle and struck the floor near the stormtrooper, exploding a second later and exploded. It not only killed the Imperial, but the force of the blast threw the trooper into the officer and together they smashed into a wall and fell to the ground, unmoving. Kyle waited a bit to confirm this before moving deeper inside the space. This room was well lit as compared to the other one, but was no less mysterious. Machinery covered the curved walls and high ceiling, the floor comprised of the mesh squares. The operative noted with curiosity that the wall furthest from him was made of permacrete, a stark contrast to the rest of the room. A left hand turn appeared ahead and Kyle approached it warily. Sure enough, as he drew closer, he heard part of a conversation between two more troopers and another officer.

"So where are Idra & Yonton?" the officer asked.

One of the troopers made a scoffing noise. "Idra claims he saw something in the storage area. Yonton went with him to check it out."

"Again?" the other trooper asked.

"This is the third time in the last hour," the officer said, his tone clearly showing his exasperation.

"He's always jumping at shadows," the first trooper said, "we're lucky he hasn't shot one of us by mistake."

"One of you contact him immediately and inform him that he's to return to his post immediately."

"All right," said the second trooper, "I'll go ahead and… hey! You there! Halt!"

The other three Imperials turned just in time to see Kyle fire the rail gun. The projectile hit the first stormtrooper in the back and lodged there.

"After him!" cried the officer, "contact…"

That was all he got out as the projectile exploded, killing the trio.

Having moved behind the corner in order to be shielded from the blast, Kyle moved back into view, making sure all three Imperials were dead. He looked at the rail gun admiringly and felt a touch of sadness as he noted the magazine was now empty. Returning it to his belt, he brought out the bowcaster, keeping it at the ready as he search the rest of the space, only to come up against another dead end. He fought the urge to pound a fist into the wall, knowing it would only add to the pain he was feeling. There was only one option left now. He'd have to return to the room he had lowered himself into and find some way to climb back up, and then radio Jan to come get him. It was a risky plan at best, but what choice did he have?

Retracing his path, Kyle passed through the opening back into the semi-darkened room and nearly dropped the bowcaster as his eyes took in what was before him. It was a lift, the door to it standing open, displaying the interior of the car. It almost seemed to be waiting for him, the open door an invitation to come inside. A part of him wondered at it, seeing it as too convenient and possibly a trap. But when compared to the prospect of trying to climb back up those ledges…

Kyle walked to the lift and stepped inside, pressing the single control button. To his surprise, the door didn't slide closed and as the lift began to rise, he realized it had no door.

_Might as well have, _he thought, as the featureless permacrete of the shaft moved past the opening. But then, as the lift continued to rise, the wall in front of him disappeared, replacing by support beams that passed by every few seconds. But between these beams, the operative was able to see the interior of a large hangar bay. And on the floor of the bay…

_8t88's shuttle! That means he's still here!_

Ignoring the flare of pain, Kyle quickly reached for his communicator and activated it.

"Katarn to _Moldy Crow_, Katarn to _Moldy Crow. _Come in, Jan."

The speaker crackled and then, "I'm here, Kyle. What's your status?"

"I'm in a lift heading somewhere. But that's not important right now. Jan, 8t88's shuttle is still here. If we move fast, we might be able to capture him."

"Capture him? What about the map, Kyle? Don't you have it?"

"I can't explain right now, Jan, but no. I don't have it. That's why we need to capture '88 before he gets away."

He had a feeling Jan wanted to ask more, but rather than do so, she replied with, "I'm on my way."

"Good," Kyle said, ending the transmission.

The lift continued to rise until he could just see the top of the shuttle and then the faceless permacrete wall was back, continuing to move past until the lift reached its destination. Kyle stepped off it into a long hallway with small squares of permacrete comprising the floor. The walls were also permacrete, with lights closely arranged in the middle of each wall. Kyle moved down the corridor, still slowed by the pain, but also feeling a sense of anticipation. If this worked and he and Jan could capture 8t88, it just might make all effort and struggle worth it. The corridor made a right hand turn at the end and Kyle nearly ran into the Imperial officer at the end. The man detected the movement and was in the process of turning around when Kyle shot him with the bowcaster. Stepping past the body, he smiled with joy as he saw the landing platform Jan had told him about. The metal surface stretched across nearly three quarter s of the roof's surface area with a permacrete landing on the far side. Kyle had just stepped onto the metal when heard the sound of a gear system engaging and the metal he stood on began to move. It took him only a few seconds to realize what was going on.

_This isn't a platform; it's a set of hangar bay doors. And they're opening!_

Nearly screaming with the effort, Kyle forced himself to jog towards the permacrete landing. More than once he almost fell as the moving surface under his feet made just standing difficult. His right foot touched the landing just as the doors finished opening and his left foot was suddenly standing in open air. The operative windmilled his arms, trying by all the force of his will to not fall backwards. He finally managed to tilt himself forward and cried out as he fell onto the landing in a heap. Fighting against the nearly overwhelming pain, he grabbed for his communicator.

"Jan."

"I'm coming, Kyle. Give me ten more seconds."

"No time. The hangar is opening."

"Hang on. I'm almost there."

But at the moment, the white hull of 8t88's shuttle rose into view, the gull-like wings moving down and locking into place.

_No, no, no, no, no! He's going to get away! _

Without even realizing he was doing it, Kyle raised the bowcaster and mashed the secondary trigger, sending a stream of green-white blasts at the shuttle. But it was no use as the shots glanced harmlessly off the shuttle's activated shields.

The craft turned, presenting a view of its stern to Kyle. And then, with a flare from its engines, the craft accelerated, moving away rapidly. Kyle watched it go, feeling his mood crash.

"8t88, you rustbucket!

The shuttle got smaller and smaller until it became just one more dot in the night sky. And though it seemed like forever to Kyle, in reality it was only a few more seconds before the ungainly shape of the _Moldy Crow _hove into view, the shipping growing larger as Jan brought it to a low hover a short distance away. The cockpit opened and Kyle saw her scramble out of it, running to where he lay. Her face was full of regret and concern.

"Kyle, I'm sorry. I couldn't get here any faster."

Though he knew Jan was being genuine, Kyle was too full of despair to acknowledge it.

"He's got it. 8t88 has the map. We can't let him get away."

"He's gone, Kyle. I'm sorry."

He looked up into her face and despite the pain, despite the hurt inside, he saw her, truly.

"Jan, I… I didn't mean… I…"

And then, the accumulated damage to the operative's body and mind took its final toll as he fell unconscious.

As Kyle went limp in her arms, Jan felt a flash of fear. But after a moment, she detected the rise and fall of his chest and realized he was just out cold. And given the way his face looked, she could only the damage to the rest of his body. A smile came to her face as she gently touched his hair.

"Just once, I'd like to finish one of these without you getting hurt."

Just then, Wee Gee appeared at her side, having set the ship on auto and floated out of the cockpit and over to where Kyle and Jan were. The droid's sensor eye moved to study the operative and it beeped inquisitively.

"He's just knocked out, Wee Gee," Jan said, "Can you help me get him in the ship? I want to get out here ASAP."

The droid beeped affirmatively and to Jan's surprise, used its heavy-duty arm to lift Kyle all by itself. Together the human and droid made their way back to the ship, placing the operative in the rear cockpit. After making sure he was strapped in, Jan took the controls and lifted the _Crow_ up and away from the rooftop, angling for space. As soon as they cleared orbit, Wee Gee inputted the coordinates for the hyperspace jump and whistled to Jan that things were ready. She pulled back on the hyperspace lever and watched as the stars outside became lines as the _Crow_ flashed into hyperspace.

The trip back was uneventful and Jan felt her body begin to relax for the first time in three days. The tension over waiting on Kyle, wondering if he was all right, hoping to hear something, anything and then not being able to had been telling on her. Next time, she vowed, they'd work something out so he stayed in touch. And at the very least, she'd bring a lot more reading material.

* * *

**An area of New Republic space**

**New Republic Star Destroyer **_**Intrepid**_

**Six Hours Later**

With the flicker of pseudomotion, the _Moldy Crow _slipped out of hyperspace and Jan busied herself with shutting down the hyperdrive and sending out a coded signal to identify herself as a friendly. She was about to ask Wee Gee about Kyle when the droid beeped to her and she read the message that her partner was okay, but still unconscious. When the alabaster hull of the Star Destroyer came into view, Jan felt a bit surprised to realize she was actually glad to see the vessel. Given how she had reacted to it upon her first time seeing it, it was a major change.

She guided the _Crow_ towards the main hangar, receiving clearance from Puan Gell in Hangar Control. Going to repulsors as soon as she entered the bay, Jan guided the ship to its designated spot and settled it to the deck with a satisfying bump. She had barely got the cockpit open and began shutdown procedures when a host of crewmembers swarmed the vessel, including Wexter and Dr. Berth.

"Where is he?" Berth asked, looking up at her.

"Aft cockpit," Jan said, feeling puzzled.

Berth moved that way and climbed the handholds until he could see inside.

"About like I thought," he said, looking over his shoulder to his staff clustered below. "Get that stretcher over here and inform the medical bay I'll want Room 3 prepared immediately."

A chorus of yes sirs arose from the group as they moved to comply with the doctor's instructions.

"How you doing, Jan?" Wexter suddenly said from right next to her, making her jump a little.

"I'm fine," she said distractedly, "but what's going on? What are you all doing here?"

"Oh, right," Wexter said, smiling at her, "radar officer detected your exit from hyperspace and once Mon Mothma knew, she got on the horn and told us to get down her pronto."

From behind, she heard a series of grunts and turned to see Berth's medical staff extricating Kyle from the cockpit.

"Be careful," she said, "I think he's hurt pretty bad."

"Not exactly a news flash there," said Berth. Then, realizing the impact of what he had just said, he turned to Jan with a conciliatory look. "Sorry, didn't mean it like that. Don't worry, we'll take good care of him."

Jan felt like saying, "You'd better" but held her tongue. Berth was one of the best doctors on the ship and had healed Kyle any number of times. She knew she could trust him.

"You'll contact me?" she asked.

"As soon as I assess his condition," Berth replied.

Together with his staff, the doctor got the operative onto a repulsor stretcher and then made his way out of the hangar.

"Well, looks like another rough ride for you two," Wexter said.

"Him more than me," Jan replied.

"Mon Mothma wanted me to tell you to report to her as soon you were down, and to bring that droid too."

Jan nodded as Wee Gee beeped indignantly. "I have a name you know."

Ignoring the droid, Wexter gave Jan a more serious look.

"You sure you're okay?"

She all but exploded at him.

"Yes, Wexter, _I'm fine._ Now if you'll excuse me, I have a debriefing to attend."

The older man got out of the way just in time as Jan levered herself out of the cockpit and moved down to the deck, turning and walking away without another word. Wee Gee floated down near Wexter as the older man spoke.

"Hmmm. Wonder what's got her all riled up?"

"Beats me," the droid said and then floated after her.

* * *

**New Republic Command Ship **_**Intrepid**_

**Mon Mothma's Briefing Room **

**Ten Minutes Later**

When the door chime sounded, the older woman rose from her chair as she called,

"Come in."

The doors parted and in stepped Jan, followed closely behind by Wee Gee.

Mon Mothma smiled at them, indicating they should join her at the table.

"Welcome back, both of you."

"Thank you, Mon Mothma," Jan said while Wee Gee beeped something to that effect.

"Undomiel and Aldarion have been feeding me reports over the last few days concerning coded radio traffic from the Imperial Base on Sulon. I gather Kyle was able to successfully infiltrate the base."

"It wasn't easy," Jan said, "but he got in."

"I can imagine," the Rebel leader replied, "Did you find the map?"

"I'm not 100% sure yet," Jan answered, "but I don't think so. Kyle said something about 8t88 having it inside his head, but I…"

Wee Gee broke into the conversation, offering an explanation.

"I see," Mon Mothma said, "so you think 8t88 translated the map and stored the information in its memory banks?"

"Be better than hauling the stones around," Wee Gee offered, eliciting a chuckle from both women.

Then Jan grew a bit solemn. "There one problem we discovered on the mission you should know about."

"What's that?" Mon Mothma asked.

"Wee Gee thinks 8t88 fed information to the Imperials on our signal traffic. While we were on Sulon, he detected that the Imperials were piggybacking on the transmissions between me and Kyle."

Mon Mothma's face grew concerned. "Even through the encryption?"

Wee Gee beeped affirmatively and then said, "I think after 8t88 contacted here before, he analyzed the signal processing and gave this information to the Imperials."

"We'll need to switch our coding techniques right away then," the Rebel leader said, "who knows how many other transmissions have been compromised?"

The meeting went on for a bit longer as the three discussed the mission in its entirety, although Jan's part in it had been limited. An hour later, Mon Mothma dismissed them both and then contacted Tactical about the coding issue. Leaving the briefing room, the pair stopped outside as Jan turned to Wee Gee.

"Well, I'm going back to my quarters and change, maybe get something to eat. Those rations may fill you up, but the taste… I've definitely had better."

Wee Gee indicated he'd be heading back to Kyle's room to recharge his batteries.

"Okay then, I guess I'll see you later."

The two started to part when Jan suddenly found herself turning to the droid.

"Hey, Wee Gee?"

The droid turned around and beeped an inquiry.

"Do you need to do that recharge right away?"

"No," the droid answered, "I've still got about twelve hours before it will be a concern."

Jan hesitated, contemplating what she was going to say next. It seemed plainly obvious and yet felt kinda weird, especially given that this was a droid she was talking to.

"Could we... maybe… hang out… for a bit?"

"Hang out?" the droid asked.

Taking a quick look around, Jan approached the droid and lowered her voice.

"Look, I… really… I don't want ... to be…"

"You don't want to be alone?" the droid asked.

"Yes," Jan hissed a bit angrily, glaring at the droid, "so come with me, okay?"

"All right," Wee Gee replied, floating after her as he walked down the hall.

_I must be losing my mind, _Jan thought, _this ship is full of people and I'm hanging out with a droid._

Making their way to Jan's room, Wee Gee waited as she keyed the door open and stepped inside, floating in after her. His sensor eye took in the space as she moved to the middle of the room and started to pull the shirt she was wearing over her head. Suddenly, she turned around, realizing Wee Gee was there.

"Wait outside."

The droid beep curiously.

"I said, wait outside."

"But why?"

"Is there something wrong with your programming or do you just not understand the concept of privacy?"

Wee Gee processed that and then beeped that it understood.

"So then, wait outside."

"I have seen humans without clothes on before," it said, "it doesn't bother me, if that's what you are getting at."

Jan suddenly whirled on him, a laser pistol seemed to materialize from nowhere as she pointed it at the droid.

"I don't care if you've seen a thousand humans naked, you're not seeing me. So either wait outside or I'm gonna put your eye out, _right here_, _right now_."

Wee Gee quickly retreated through the door.

"Blasted pesky droid," she muttered as pulled the shirt over her head and deposited it on the floor.

Some minutes later, the door slid open and Jan emerged, wearing a pair of loose-fitting dark blue pants and a green top. Wee Gee floated nearby.

"C'mon," she said, "let's go to the mess hall. I'm hungry."

Feeling a bit confused, but seeing no reason not to comply, the droid floated after her. The pair entered the mess hall and at Jan's instruction, Wee Gee went to secure a table while she waited her turn in line. The droid's unusual shape made it easy to find once Jan finished filling her tray and exited the line. Sitting opposite the droid, she dug into her food with all the grace of a starving person. Wee Gee watched this wordlessly; it's sensors taking in the various inputs. A part of its electronic brain made an observation over the grace, or lack thereof, that Jan was showing, but its logic center cautioned against voicing this for concern over the reaction. Midway through one of her entrees, Jan uttered a sigh of gratitude.

"This is _so_ good. Being away on a mission really makes you appreciate _real_ food.

Once again, an observation came to the droid's brain but this time, the logic center did not override it in time.

"I can see that," Wee Gee observed.

In the midst of lifting her fork, Jan's arm and hand came to a sudden halt. She looked up from the food and into the droid's photoreceptor.

"What is that supposed to mean?"

"Mean?"

"You just said, 'I can see that'" she observed, her glare intensifying, "What did you mean by that?"

The droid's brain worked to understand the question. There was an underlying current in her voice, a tone that concerned it.

"Well?" Jan pressed.

Having run several scenarios in the space of a few seconds, Wee Gee decided to go with the one that seemed the least likely to work, but was also the least complex.

"I was agreeing with you, " it said.

There was a pause and then Jan said, "I see. Is that all?"

The droid responded affirmatively.

She stared it a moment more, then nodded.

"All right then,"

The droid decided that had it been human, it would have sighed in relief at that moment. Dealing with this Jan Ors was proving to be far less easy than any other human it had ever known. Wee Gee made a decision right then to dedicate a portion of its CPU time to creating a special model for Jan. Hopefully; it would make future dealings with her less dangerous.

Time passed as Jan polished off the remnants of her tray and with a contented sigh, pushed it away.

"Wee Gee?" she asked.

"Yes?"

"You've been with Kyle's family a long time, right?"

"Yes," the droid responded, "from the time when Kyle was very young."

"So," she said, "you spent a lot of time with him then."

"When I was not assisting his father, yes."

"Tell me about that time. What was Kyle like as a kid?"

As Wee Gee processed the request, it found a special line of code, which had as its trigger just such an inquiry.

To Jan's surprise, the droid's holographic projector lit up. The beam from it shined on the table and a smaller version of Kyle appeared. He seemed to look up at her as a knowing smile appeared on his face.

"Nice try, Jan," the holo-Kyle said, "but if you want to know anything about my past, specifically my childhood, you'll need to ask me personally."

The hologram gave her a mock salute and disappeared.

Wee Gee marveled at how quickly the flush of anger crept up Jan's cheeks. She pounded a fist on the table, causing people around her to turn and look.

"It's a good thing you're in Sickbay, Katarn," she said menacingly, ignoring the stares, "because once you get out, I'm puttin' you back in!"


	26. Chapter 26: Unwanted Revelations

**Kyle Katarn: The Rise & Fall **

**Book 2: Birth of a Jedi **

**Chapter 26: Unwanted Revelations**

A/N: Hello again, everyone. Shanesnest has finally resurfaced with a new chapter for you! The melting snow here in Glen Allen has finally allowed my fingers to resume room temperature again. I've also come up with some new plots ideas that you'll see in this chapter. Will be looking to see your reaction on them. And now, let's do them shout outs!

Tinuviel Undomiel: I've often felt that in regards to guys like me, we may grow up, but we still have our toys. They're just a lot bigger and often more expensive! Hey, I'm the same way as your brother when I learn new things, I want to show off to everyone! Yeah, since losing her parents, Jan has someone she's really worried about. As for the betting pool, I'll think about it. Regarding the beast, I could see Jan doing that and when Kyle said something innocently looking at him and saying, "What?" I came up with Kyle holo idea at the last minute. I needed something to relieve the tension in the scene and it seemed ideal. Thanks for the computer advice too, still considering.

Nerwen Aldarion: I'm glad you liked it! Dialogue is something I struggled with for a long time because I tried too much to "get into the character's head". Now, I basically write what I think I'd say if I were said person. Your tailbone? Ouch! Ouch! Ouch! I used to play clarinet so I know just hard those cases are. Yeah, I can imagine explaining that one. Well, for Wee Gee, it's no big deal, but with Jan, she's not putting herself on display for anyone! I had a feeling you'd like the holo scene, it seemed like the perfect thing to relieve the tension in that scene.

Manus Dei: I think bot Jan and Kyle like driving each other crazy. They had no siblings growing up, so now they're getting their shots in. I can only imagine what their kids would be like. Wee Gee would probably be in pieces before the night was over!

Phygmalion: You are evil, you know that don't you? You remind of my brother sometimes, and believe it or not, that's a good thing. Seriously, I was wondering what this review would say. I agree totally! The Imps design the most ridiculous buildings. I have no idea why the airshaft thing was part of the game, unless it's to see how bad you can hurt Kyle without killing him! I didn't include the Max scene in the chapter mainly 'cause I wasn't sure it'd fit in. Jan and Wee Gee are quickly becoming a comedy duo.

Jelfia Maleak: Yeah, it was nuts. Places that hadn't seen snow in years got it. And now, I hear New York and New Jersey are gonna get hit by the next storm. I say, come on Spring! Glad you liked the chapter!

A/N: Well, last chapter Kyle and Jan made it safely back to the _Intrepid _after Kyle got the bejeebers smacked out of him! And once again, he's back in Sickbay! So what happens next? Read on and see!

* * *

**Somewhere in New Republic-controlled space**

**New Republic Command Ship **_**Intrepid**_

"What was that?"

"What was what, Doctor?"

"Just then," Berth said, turning to the nurse, and indicating Kyle's prone form, "he shuddered all over."

"I saw that too," said the nurse, brows drawing together in a frown even as she nodded. "It's rather strange, isn't it?"

"Considering the major surgery he just endured, yes, it is. He should be out cold. Let's make sure we keep up a 24-hour monitor on him in case it happens again."

"Yes, Doctor," the nurse said, making a note.

What the doctor could not know was that the full body shudder had occurred shortly after Jan had made her pronouncement to Wee Gee in the mess hall. He studied the now motionless form of Kyle Katarn for several more seconds. Everything seemed fine, but still…

The dinging of his communicator drew the doctor's attention away as he extracted the device from one of the pockets of his white coat.

"Sickbay, Berth here."

"How is Kyle, Doctor?" asked Mon Mothma from the tiny speaker.

"Resting comfortably, at least for now."

"Doctor?"

Berth explained the shudder and Mon Mothma expressed a similar confusion over it.

"But other than that, he is all right?"

Berth let out a long breath. "Fortunately, yes. He was in the worst shape I've ever seen him in."

"How soon before he can return to duty?"

The doctor stared at the communicator in silent shock.

_Did she just ask what I think she did?_

"Mon Mothma, I'm not sure I heard you clearly. Did you just ask when Kyle can return to duty?"

"I _did_, Doctor," she said.

The physician fought back the first reply that came to mind, reminding himself to be tactful in his response to his superior.

"I'm… not sure, yet. He just got out of surgery a short time ago. Once he wakes up from the anesthesia, I'll need to run tests… make sure he's…"

"We may need to dispense with that, Doctor. There is a situation brewing that I need Kyle's assistance with."

Berth was tempted to ask, but remembered his lessons from past inquiries. If you weren't directly involved in the circumstances, you didn't need to know.

"How soon?" he asked, dreading the answer.

"The timetable is not certain yet, perhaps a week to ten days."

Relief flowed over Berth like an ocean wave. He exhaled deeply.

"Doctor?" Mon Mothma asked, "Is there something wrong?"

"No," Berth said, the relief evident in his voice, "nothing wrong at all. When you asked, I thought you might mean…"

"Immediately?" she finished.

Berth hesitated, tempted to lie to her, but in the end, saying, "Yes."

"Doctor, I am well aware of the dangers for our operatives, particularly when it comes to Kyle."

Berth felt his cheeks grow hot.

"I'm sorry…" he began.

"There is no need for apologies, Doctor. You are a credit to your profession. Now, in regards to canceling the testing, I _do _need to debrief Kyle as soon as possible."

"He'll be out at least nine more hours," Berth said, "would tomorrow morning be acceptable, say 0800?"

"More than acceptable," Mon Mothma replied, the approval evident in her voice, "I shall see you then."

Berth started to nod, and then realized the Rebel leader couldn't see him doing that.

"Until then, Sickbay out."

He had just started moving the device towards his pocket when it dinged again.

"Sickbay, Berth here."

It was Jan.

"I thought you might be calling," the doctor said.

If this bothered Jan, she made no sign. "How is he?" she asked.

"Resting right now," Berth said.

"Is he…?"

Berth knew what the rest of her question would be and jumped in.

"He'll be fine, Jan. The injuries were pretty serious, but the nanobots did their work once again. Besides, I think Kyle's too blasted stubborn to give up."

He heard her laugh.

"Can I see him?"

"He's still unconscious, Jan. He won't be able to talk to you."

"I _know_ that," she replied sharply, "I just want to make sure he's okay."

"I just told you Kyle's fine, Jan. And he needs his rest."

"Just for a few minutes?" she asked, the tone of her voice almost pleading.

Berth sighed. What was he going to do with these two?

"Fine," he said, "come by in about an hour."

"Thank y…"

"It _will_ need to be just a few minutes, Jan. Understood?"

"Yes," she said confidently and rang off. Berth stared down at his comm for a long moment. Then, with a shake of his head, he went back to work.

* * *

**New Republic Command Ship **_**Intrepid**_

**Mess Hall**

Turning off her comm, Jan slipped it into a pocket.

"That sounded good," Wee Gee observed.

"Yes," she replied, taking a deep breath and releasing it, "yes, it did."

Thinking about seeing Kyle, she sighed, staring forward at a blank wall, but not really seeing it.

Wee Gee observed this, and then beeped something.

"I thought you were mad at him."

"What?" Jan said, snapping out of her reverie.

The droid repeated its observation.

_That's right_, Jan thought, _I _am_ mad at him. _

"So what?" she asked the droid.

"Well, if you _are_ mad at him, why do you want to see him?"

The simple query pierced Jan like a quiver from a crossbow. For a moment, she didn't know what to do or say. And then, the icy control she had perfected over years of being an operative cemented itself in place.

"Y'know something, Wee Gee?" she said, looking directly at the droid.

"Yes?"

"You ask too many questions."

Pushing back from the table, she gathered her tray and turned to go.

Logic systems feeding conflicting data into complex algorithms, the droid felt something not unlike confusion. It debated about asking another question, but decided it needed to.

"Are you leaving then?"

"Yes," Jan said, fixing a glare on the droid, "is there a problem?"

Feeling that uncomfortable power surge once again, Wee Gee knew it had to choose its next words carefully.

"No, no problem. I will go begin my recharge."

"Fine," Jan said, turning away.

Wee Gee watched her go, his processor core and logic circuits working hard to try and decipher the situation. Ultimately, the droid decided to file this one away for later contemplation. For now, the more immediate need was to recharge his power core. He floated out of the mess hall a few moments after Jan, heading for Kyle's quarters.

With some fifty minutes left until she could see Kyle, Jan found herself walking almost aimlessly. She hadn't been summoned for her mission debriefing yet and there were no immediate meetings scheduled. She quite literally had nothing to do and since she was waiting to see Kyle, she decided it was _his_ fault. She was moving in the general direction of the hangar bay when another figure came around a corner and headed towards. Jan came to a halt as she recognized the face, her hands curling into fists.

The other person came to a halt as well, her face neutral.

"Hello, Jan," said Vinial Druugan.

When the operative said nothing in response, the Twi'lek looked a little disappointed.

"Can't you even greet me?"

Jan didn't reply.

Surprised and little confused, Vinial came forward until she was nearly in arm's reach before stopping. She smiled.

"What's the matter? Vornskr got your tongue?"

The smile so infuriated Jan that she felt compelled to respond.

"I have nothing to say to you, Vinial."

The Twi'lek face's morphed into a hurt look.

"But why, Jan? What have I done?"

"If you have to ask that, then it's even more pointless trying to talk to you."

"I don't under…"

"Drop the act, Vinial! It hasn't been _that_ long since last time."

"You know I didn't mean…"

"You almost broke my arm, Vinial. How else am I supposed to look at that?"

Amazingly, the Twi'lek's expression grew defensive.

"I was trying to help you, to make you see the truth."

"Whose truth? Yours?"

"No," the Twi'lek said, shaking her head, "the real truth."

This struck Jan as completely ridiculous. But it intrigued her enough that she decided to play along, for now.

"And what is this… truth?" she said, spitting the last word out as if it had a bad taste to it.

Vinial stepped closer.

"It's about the man you're with."

"Who? Kyle?"

"Yes, him," Vinial said, nodding.

Jan sighed. "We've already covered this, Vinial."

"But you didn't hear everything," the Twi'lek said imploringly. "Please Jan, if you were ever my friend; please listen to what I have to say."

For a moment, the operative considered turning her down flat. The whole thing seemed absolutely pointless and a complete waste of time. But there was something in the Twi'lek's voice, something that put a grain of doubt in Jan's brain. She glanced down at the chrono on her wrist, a little more than forty minutes to go. She sighed; worried that she was making the wrong decision here.

"You've got thirty minutes."

The Twi'lek face's brightened and she clapped her red-skinned hands together.

"Oh Jan! Thank you!"

But then, her face clouded a bit.

"But not here, we need to find a place."

It took the pair a few minutes, but they finally found an empty room with a few chairs inside. Vinial took one while Jan sat opposite from her.

"Jan," the Twi'lek began, "whether you believe me or not, I am truly sorry about hurting you. I never meant to. I just got so concerned that night, I guess I went a little overboard."

"Overboard," Jan replied in a mocking tone.

"If you had just listened to me, it wouldn't…"

The operative rose to her feet.

"Vinial, either get to the point or I'm leaving."

The Twi'lek started towards her, but before she could take more than a few steps, Jan's hand moved to her back, emerging a heartbeat later with a holdout blaster.

"Back up, Vinial, or I'll burn you down right here, right now."

The Twi'lek stared at the small weapon, then up at Jan's determined face. Without a word, she moved back to her seat.

"I'm sorry."

"I don't care," Jan said, "now, do you have something to say or am I leaving?"

The Twi'lek's shoulders slumped as she seemed to sink into the chair. "I _do_," she said.

"Then get on with it."

"When I first met Kyle, I told you that I thought I had met him before."

Jan nodded. "I remember."

"I couldn't remember at first where or when, but I have now. Jan, he was with the Empire."

The operative rolled her eyes. "Old news, Vinial, half the galaxy is aware of that fact."

"But what you don't know is he was part of a group of troopers once. A group of troopers that were gathering slaves on my home planet."

Jan felt momentary shock at this, but after a moment, shook her head.

"Vinial, Kyle was one of who knows how many stormtroopers. There's no way you could know it was him."

"You're wrong," the Twi'lek, shaking her head strongly, "I _do _know it was him."

Jan scoffed. "I don't believe you."

"I was hiding with a group of other Twi'leks shortly after the raid had ended. We were near an Imperial troop transport, hiding on the far side of a crater. I noticed a group of four troopers near the back of the transport. Jan, none of them had their helmets on."

The operative took this in, still convinced this was little more than a fabrication. But when the Twi'lek said this last part, the worm of curiosity in her twisted.

"And you expect me to believe that one of the troopers you saw was Kyle?"

"Jan, I swear to you, I'm not lying. Kyle _was_ one of those troopers I saw. I remember because he was the only one with brown hair. Two of the others were blonde and the last had this really ugly orange color."

Silence descended as Vinial finished. Jan stood there, blaster still trained on the Twi'lek, the worm of curiosity having given birth to doubt, coupled with worry. She stared into the aliens' face, seeking her eyes and seeing rather than a lie or deception… could it be honesty?

_I don't want to believe this, _Jan thought, _it doesn't make sense. But when I look into Vinial's eyes…_

"Okay," she said, "let's just say you're right and Kyle _was_ there, not that I'm sure I believe you. But just supposing, why should you care? Heck, why should I care? What does it matter?"

The operative saw a look of anger cross the Twi'lek's face. But it was not directed at Jan. No, this was anger at remembering something, something the red-skinned alien didn't want to. After a few seconds, the angry look faded and Vinial looked like she was about to cry.

"I had forgotten," she said, almost whispering, "at least I thought I had, until recently. I was hiding there with the others, trying to figure if we could somewhere help the captured prisoners when a loud sound drew our attention."

Here the Twi'lek paused, wiping at her eyes. Feeling a sudden rush of sympathy, Jan spoke.

"Look if it's too painful, you don't have to tell me."

"No!" Vinial exclaimed, and then looked a little sheepish. "Sorry. But no, I have to tell you, Jan. I have to warn you before it's too late."

The Twi'lek took a few deep breaths before continuing.

"Somehow, a few of the prisoners had gotten loose and were trying to flee. Those four troopers by the transport saw what was happening and called for them to halt.

_Uh oh, _Jan thought, _I don't like where this is going._

"The prisoners kept running. The troopers shouted another warning, and then one of them lifted his blaster and… and… he fired."

"Vinial, don't tell me…"

"It was Kyle, Jan!" the Twi'lek said through fresh tears, "he fired and killed them. Jan, I'm sorry I… I don't want to… you have to know…"

Another deep breath.

"Jan, one of them was my mother!"

Silence descended as if all air had suddenly been removed from the room. The operative stared at the Twi'lek in mute shock; mind a complete blank except for those six words.

"One of them was my mother!" echoed again and again.

_No, _Jan thought, _this isn't possible. It can't be true. Kyle couldn't do this. He just couldn't, stormtrooper or not._

"Vinial…"

"When the last prisoner fell, those troopers laughed and cheered Kyle. I couldn't watch anymore."

_You're lying, Vinial, you have to be! This cannot be true! Kyle would not _do_ this. He would not! _

Her brain seemed to finally emerge from a white haze.

"I'm sorry, Jan!" Vinial said, letting herself cry now, the tears streaming down her face, "I'm sorry. I didn't want to tell you. But Jan… I think… I think you like Kyle. And when I thought about that, I just couldn't… just couldn't not tell you!"

Jan didn't know how long she stood there. The passage of time seemed irrelevant at this moment. It was only when her chronometer's alarm began to sound that she seemed to wake up. She looked down at the device. It showed her that she was due in Sickbay in less than ten minutes.

_What do I do? I'm so confused! I don't want to believe this!_

But as she looked at the crying Vinial, all of Jan's perceptions, senses and other feedback told her the Twi'lek was not lying. Jan felt torn, caught between her desire to see Kyle and this sudden revelation of what he was once was, and possibly still could be. This went on for a number of seconds until that automatic control of hers snapped down over everything else, cutting her decisions down to the most important ones. Holstering the blaster, she moved towards Vinial and went down to one knee. A part of her warned against doing this, but somehow she knew it would be okay. She reached out and took one of the Twi'lek's trembling hands in her own. Vinial gripped Jan's hand, but gently, not like before.

"Vinial," the operative said gently, "I have to go take care of something right now, but I want to talk with you some more about this."

The red-skinned alien didn't reply, but her bowed head bopped down in a nod.

"Let's meet for breakfast tomorrow morning, okay?"

Another nod.

"Good, I have to go now. Will you be all right? Can I call someone for you?"

"No," Vinial whispered, sniffling a bit, "I'll be all right. Jan, I…"

"In the morning," the operative said, "we'll talk then.

"All right."

Letting of Vinial's hands, Jan rose to her feet. With some reluctance, she turned and left the room. She felt a bit guilty at leaving the Twi'lek like this, but there wasn't much more she could do. She found a repulsor scooter and headed for Sickbay, her mind and heart in turmoil.

* * *

**New Republic Command Ship **_**Intrepid**_

**Sickbay**

Berth looked up from a display as the twin doors of Sickbay slid aside to reveal. He smiled at her, but as he drew closer, hiis smile faded.

_She doesn't look so good._

"Hi," he called.

There was a moment pause before Jan returned the greeting, making Berth more concerned about her state.

"You all right?"

"What?" she said distractedly.

"I asked if you were all right," he said, brow furrowed in worry, "you don't look so good. Want me to examine you?"

"No," Jan said, suddenly and firmly, "I'm fine."

"You sure?" Berth entreated, "it wouldn't take a…"

"I _said_ I'm _fine_" Jan repeated, all but glaring at the doctor.

Berth didn't believe her, but there wasn't much he could do if she wasn't willing. "Okay," he said, shrugging.

"Where's Kyle?" she asked.

"Bed six," Berth replied, pointing, "you've got ten minutes, okay?"

Nodding, Jan said, "Thanks" and moved that way.

The doctor stared after her, feeling confused. She seemed okay now, but when she had walked in…

"Oh well," he muttered to himself, returning his gaze to the display, "Stubborn is as stubborn does."

Finding Bed Six, Jan moved the curtains aside and moved into the space. The subdued beeps and tweedles of various machines created a low background hum as she looked to the bed and saw Kyle lying there, eyes closed, breathing come in regular intervals. His chest was exposed as well as his arms where the intravenous tubes and leads from the monitoring equipment were attached.

Jan moved to one side of the bed and stared down at him. Kyle's face was placid, devoid of expression, but somehow gentle-looking at the same time. His beard had grown in more, forming an almost unbroken river of brown from his sideburns to his chin. Jan reached down and touched it, surprised that the once coarse hairs had grown soft. A memory of the two of them arguing about it brought a small smile to her face. How she wished he were awake, that she could talk to him, ask him about this thing Vinial had told her and find out that it was just another lie, another deception.

"You didn't do it, Katarn," she said softly, "I know you too well. You're no murderer. You couldn't have done this thing."

Her hand moved towards his forehead, gently brushing aside the hair that had fallen there. It too was soft like the beard and Jan allowed herself the guilty pleasure of touching it a bit longer.

"And what's with those safeguards on Wee Gee, Katarn?" she said, smiling even as she glared down at him, "they're coming out as soon as you're on your feet you know. I'll see to it."

Absently, her hand moved down now, lightly brushing against his forearm and across his hand. Suddenly, his fingers closed around hers, not with great force, but enough that Jan felt it. She looked down at him. His eyes were still closed; his breathing still regular, but there was no doubt his hands had closed around hers. Jan barely suppressed a shudder as a sudden sensation ran through her. It was warm and comforting, but at the same time, like a sudden electrical shock.

_It can't be true, _she thought, _there's no way it can be true. I know you, Katarn. You're not a killer. You didn't do this thing, it just isn't in you. I won't believe it. _

At that moment, Kyle's hand seemed to tighten around hers, as if in answer to her silent affirmation. Before Jan realized she was doing so, she had bent over the bed railing, leaning across and lowering her face towards his. When her lips touched his, she felt the warmth in them and an even stronger sensation in her body. Pulling away, she looked into his face.

"We're gonna need to talk, Katarn," she said.

Just then, Doctor Berth stuck his head in, his face flushing crimson as his eyes took in the scene before him. He opened his mouth to speak, to offer an apology, but after disengaging her hand from Kyle's, she simply moved past him and out of Sickbay, leaving the embarrassed doctor standing there. Closing the curtains, he took a last look at the man in the bed.

_You're a lucky man, Kyle._

Jan strode from Sickbay, purpose in her steps. Visiting Kyle had helped, reminding her of how much she cared for him as well as what kind man he was. She decided there was no way Vinial could be right about the incident she had related earlier. It had to have been another stormtrooper, not Kyle. But that small and rather annoying part of herself kept asking, are you sure and what if?

_I'm not gonna agonize over this any longer, _she thought, boarding a scooter and setting the destination.

_I'm going to get some answers.

* * *

_

**New Republic Command Ship **_**Intrepid**_

**Outside the quarters of Kyle Katarn**

Jan keyed the door chime for third time, impatiently tapping her foot as she waited for Wee Gee to respond. The droid had said it was going back to Kyle's room to recharge, so where was it? She was just reaching to the chime for a fourth try when the wall mounted speaker activated a strident chorus of beeps issued.

"Wee Gee," she said, "it's me. Open the door."

More beeps issued from the speaker, and without the translator Jan had no idea what the droid was saying. She was also way beyond being polite.

"Wee Gee, either you open this door in the next thirty seconds or I'm going to blast it open."

A blatting sound came from the speaker.

"Try me," she said.

Whether it was her words or tone of voice, the door slid aside ten seconds later to reveal the floating form of Wee Gee. The droid beeped stridently at her.

"Because I need to talk to you," Jan returned against the droid's complaint, "now are you going to let me in or what?"

The droid seemed to consider this, and then moved aside. Stepping into the room, Jan moved to a chair and sat down, turning to face the droid.

"Can you access Imperial records?"

The droid gave an incredulous beep.

"Because I need to find out something," she replied, "something important."

"What?" Wee Gee asked.

"I… I'd rather not say. Look, can you access the records or not?"

Wee Gee considered the request before answering. Its logic circuits said not to comply, but other circuits wondered at the suddenness and seemingly strident nature of the request.

"Why?" the droid asked.

"Why what?" Jan returned.

"Why do you want to access Imperial records?"

"I told you I'd rather not say."

"Then I will not do it."

"What?" Jan asked incredulously.

"I will not do it."

"Why?"

"Tell me the nature of the request," Wee Gee shot back.

"I can't," Jan said.

"Then I cannot help you."

Suddenly, the holdout blaster was in her hand, the muzzle inches from Wee Gee's photoreceptor.

"You _will_ access the records, Wee Gee, right now."

Seeing the weapon, the droid ran a new set of algorithms. Once again, the logic circuits said no, but also advised caution due to the immediate danger. Still, as Wee Gee's sensors took in and analyzed more data, the droid decided that as Morgan Katarn had once said that it was, "time to roll the dice."

"No."

"No, what do you mean no?"

"I mean no, Jan. I will not access the records."

"Yes, you will," she said, iron in her voice, "otherwise I'll blast you and dig through your database until I find what I'm looking for."

"I do not believe you."

"What?"

"I do not believe you will shoot me."

"Oh yeah?" Jan said, moving the muzzle closer and letting Wee Gee see her moving the power selector to maximum.

Wee Gee's concern rose, but it decided to hold fast.

"Access the records, Wee Gee, now."

"No."

Her finger moved onto the trigger.

"Don't make me blast you."

"You will not do that."

"And what makes you so sure?"

"Because you know that Kyle will not like it if you shoot me."

The droid observed a brief flutter in Jan's cheek as she tightened her jaw.

"And when he finds out why you shot me, I believe he will be very angry with you."

"I'll just tell him someone else did it."

"He will not believe that."

"Look, just access the records, okay? Do it and then I'll leave you alone."

"No."

The muzzle of the blaster touched the rounded surface of Wee Gee's photoreceptor.

"Then I guess I'll just have to blast you then."

The droid was silent.

A second passed, two, three…

Jan's shoulders suddenly slumped as she lowered the blaster with an exasperated sigh. She looked down for several seconds and when she looked back up, there was a small smile on her face.

"Blasted droid," she said, "How'd you know I wouldn't shoot?"

"I did not."

"Wait a minute," Jan said, "you didn't know I wouldn't shoot?"

"Correct."

"Then how…"

"I… gambled."

"You gambled?"

"Kyle's father once told me about 'rolling the dice' as he called it in certain situations. I decided that was the best choice for this one."

Jan's smile widened as she reached up a hand and patted the droid's dome affectionately.

"Y'know something, Wee Gee, you can be a really annoying droid sometimes."

"Morgan Katarn said the same thing several times."

A chuckle escaped Jan's throat and then her smile disappeared.

"Jan," Wee Gee said, "what is wrong? Please tell me."

"I need to access Imperial records to confirm something."

"What?" Wee Gee asked.

She hesitated, then gave in and told the droid the story Vinial had told her. When she finished, several seconds passed as Wee Gee processed this new information.

"I am willing to help," the droid said, "but without more precise information as to when this incident occurred, even a cursory search will take a day, possibly longer."

Jan looked discouraged. She was hoping to find out what she wanted to know before Kyle was up and about. Forewarned is forearmed and all that.

"There's no other way?" she asked.

The droid considered and then said, "Well, we could ask Wineglass."

"Wineglass?" Jan asked.

"Zetton Wineglass," Wee Gee explained, "she is currently serving as chief archivist, but Kyle told me she is an expert at researching records, particularly old records."

Jan brightened at this. "Then let's go ask her."

"There is a problem with that," Wee Gee said.

"What's that?" Jan said, her sudden rush of hope beginning to fade.

"Wineglass will be willing to help. But she will want to know why."

"So how is that a problem?" Jan asked.

"Kyle told me Wineglass has a strong appreciation for the chain of command. She can help, but will want to know why and if the request is an official one."

"And if it isn't?" Jan asked, almost not wanting to know the answer.

"Then it is likely she will not help."

The operative considered this for a moment, and then lifted her shoulders in a shrug.

"There's only one way to find out. Let's go ask her."

"You mean me too?" Wee Gee asked.

"Of course," Jan said, "it was your idea after all."

As it floated after her, the droid had a sense it should've kept its mouth shut.

* * *

**Rebel Command Ship **_**Intrepid**_

**Deck 16, Section 4**

**Several minutes later**

"No," said Wineglass.

"What?" Jan exclaimed.

"You heard me. I said no."

"Why not?" Jan asked.

Wineglass turned from the terminal to face the operative, her black hair shining under the light. She glared at Jan with the expression of a disapproving teacher. She raised her left hand and ticked off the points.

"One, this is a personal, not an official request. Second, you barged in here demanding access to my databases. And third, Kyle is a friend. I'm not going to go rummaging around in his past just to satisfy your idle curiosity."

"Kyle's my friend too," Jan replied, "and it's not 'just to satisfy my idle curiosity' as you say. This is a serious situation, Wineglass."

"That's Specialist Wineglass to you, Miss Ors."

Jan let out her breath in an exasperated sigh. Dealing with Wineglass was proving to be an exercise in frustration. The woman was proving to be a real stickler for the rules.

"Fine, then, _Specialist_ Wineglass," she said exaggerating the rank, "but I'm not kidding. This situation _is_ serious."

"Then why didn't you go through channels?"

Jan let out another sigh.

"I'll tell you why," Wineglass said, "Because you know your request would never be approved. Now, Miss Ors, I have to work do, please leave my office."

She turned away, focusing back on the terminal.

_Not likely, _Jan thought.

"Look, Specialist Wineglass. I'm not asking for a complete review of Katarn's every move. I just want to verify if he was on a particular mission while he was part of the Empire."

This time, Wineglass whipped off her glasses as she turned; her pale blue eyes sharp and flinty.

"Miss Ors, I have already refused your request. Now, leave my office or I'm going to call Security."

_Well, this is going nowhere fast, _Jan thought. She decided to make one final stab at it.

"All right, let me explain why this request is so important."

She told Vinial's story to the archivist, whose sharp glare began to soften as Jan talked. But the time the operative finished, the other's woman face was nearly aghast at the horror of the tale. Without a word, she pushed her glasses back on and turned back to the terminal.

"What are you doing?"

"Accessing the records, give me a few minutes."

"But I thought you said…"

"Wineglass spared Jan the briefest of looks before explaining.

"I told you Kyle is my friend. I don't believe he could do this thing you've told me. So I'm going to make sure I'm right and then…

Her voice trailed off, the implied threat hanging in the air.

Jan looked to Wee Gee, who gazed back silently at her. They waited as Wineglass tapped keys, screens flashing off and on as she searched the vast content of the ship's databases with lightning speed.

"Aha!" the archivist exclaimed, "here it is!"

Getting up from the chair she was seated in, Jan moved to stand behind Wineglass while Wee Gee floated up to the other side. Jan looked at the scrawl of text and then spoke.

"What are we looking at?"

"A mission report from a raid on the planet Twi'lek approximately four years ago. It shows three squads of stormtroopers were dispatched to the planet to detain and/or capture political dissidents."

"'Political dissidents'", Jan scoffed.

"My sentiments exactly," Wineglass said, eyes still scanning the display, "it says here the teams captured most of the so called rabble rousers but that a group of five tried to escape and were summarily shot."

"Does it say if any of them was a female?"

Wineglass shook her head, scrolling down a bit. Suddenly, her hands went still.

"Blast," she whispered.

"What?" Jan said, a sick feeling rising in her chest.

Wineglass pointed to the screen. "Right here. Mission units deployed included 2nd Platoon, Unit 6, Squad 2."

"Kyle's unit?" Jan asked.

Wineglass nodded.

"Does it say he…"

Wineglass shook her head again. "There's no mention of who did the shooting; only that it occurred."

"Then it could be…" Jan began.

Wineglass turned to look at the operative over her shoulder. "I sure hope so."

A silent communication passed between the two women, erasing the conflict from earlier.

"Then I guess that leaves only one way to find out, huh?"

Wineglass nodded.

Jan smiled at the woman. "I'm sorry about this. But thanks for checking anyway."

The archivist seemed to not know whether to smile or frown.

"It's okay," she said finally, "but next time, go through channels, okay? I don't like surprises like this."

"He didn't do it, Wineglass," Jan said firmly, "I know he didn't."

The archivist nodded. "You're right. Kyle's a good guy. He wouldn't do such a thing."

The women conversed a bit more before parting. Outside in the hallway, Wee Gee posed a question.

"So now what?"

Jan shrugged. "Wait for Katarn to wake up and ask him."

The droid tweedling beep sounded almost sympathetic.

"I am sorry this happened."

Jan glared at the droid. "He didn't do it, Wee Gee. I know he didn't."

Silently, the two parted, Jan headed for her quarters and Wee Gee off to his own endeavors.

* * *

**Rebel Command Ship **_**Intrepid**_

**Sickbay**

Kyle floated in a space of absolute nothingness, silent and formless. His senses told him that his body was more or less intact, but it seemed to be external to him, there and not there. Despite this, he felt perfectly content and comfortable without even the hint of an ache or pain. Then the scene shifted before him, seeming to ripple like water. It took a few moments for him to recognize the place as it took shape.

_The Valley._

_**Correct.**_

He turned to see Rahn standing nearby, his white robes seeming to shimmer. All around the men, globes of flickering blue light slowly arced in a wide circle.

_Rahn._

The old Jedi smiled at him in greeting, and then grew serious.

_**Kyle, your Jedi skills are proceeding well and your power is, frankly, astounding. But I fear your growth has been somewhat stunted.**_

_I don't think I understand._

_**Were I still alive, Kyle, I would be so much better able to teach you. But this is not the case. And was we have seen, the temptation of the Dark Side has been strong for you, in some cases overwhelmingly so.**_

Feeling a bit ashamed at the memories of his Dark Side falls, Kyle looked down.

_I'm sorry._

_**You have to understand, Kyle. The Force is more encompassing and more powerful than the stars in the galaxy. Possessing and wielding this power brings with it a great responsibility. If left unchecked, the very fabric of this universe could be shattered.**_

_Jeez, Rahn, heap more shame on me._

The old Jedi chuckled before continuing.

_**At the same time, every time you have fallen, you have come back, fighting against that temptation, not believing the promise of unlimited power. Again and again, you have fought against the Dark Side, Kyle. Were you a student at the Academy, I believe Master Windu himself would hold you up as an example of what it means to resist the Dark Side.**_

Kyle said nothing in response, beginning to realize that Rahn was complimenting him.

_**In order for you to grow and mature as a Jedi, you need another to help train and guide you in the ways of the Force. **_

_But I thought you said there were no more Jedi._

_**True, but during the battle over Endor, I sensed a presence, a light so strong, bright and clear that it was unmistakable. This other feels the ways of the Force as you do, but he is more experienced and conversant with using his powers and abilities. He can help you.**_

_Are you certain about this?_

_**Kyle, you have trusted my judgment up till this point and I daresay I have earned **_**your**_** trust.**_

Kyle nodded.

_**Then trust me now. The one I speak of is coming to you, soon. You will know who he is the moment you meet. **_

_But Rahn, I…_

_**Do not be fearful, my friend. I am **_**not **_**going away, merely taking a backseat in things for a time.**_

And with that, the scene before Kyle seemed to shimmer like water when a pebble is dropped into it, ending any further conversation. The image of the Valley, the glowing orbs and Rahn faded and resolved into blackness. The darkness was absolute and after a few more seconds, he was back in the nothing place, floating formless and silent, no sound or light penetrating.

_I'm not sure about this, _Kyle thought, _I mean; I don't even know who this guy is. I'd rather Rahn be my trainer. _

Just then a chuckle penetrated the nothing space, the sound of it familiar.

_**Trust… me… Kyle…**_

Rahn's voice sounded as if it was far away and no more how he tried to turn and look, Kyle saw nothing except formless dark space. After a time, he relaxed and allowed his eyes to drift closed.

* * *

**Rebel Command Ship **_**Intrepid**_

**Hangar Bay**

Puan Gell lounged at his station in hangar control, waiting out the last ten minutes until he went off duty. It had been a busy shift and the Quarren was looking forward to taking a break. The chrono on his desk changed and now they were only nine minutes left. He was shifting to a more comfortable posture in his chair when the comm panel lit up along with the radar display. Caught by surprise at the sudden activity, the Quarren shoved forward so suddenly, he nearly fell out of his chair. Recovering, he looked to the control panel. The radar display showed an incoming and the friend-or-foe system identified it as an X-Wing. Keying the mike on the comm panel, the Quarren spoke.

"This is hangar control to approaching X-Wing. Please identify yourself."

There was a pause and then, "Hangar Control, this is Rogue Leader on approach vector requesting landing instructions."

The name hit Puan like a sudden rush of icy water. He straightened up in his seat without consciously thinking about it. He knew that name, knew it very well. Breath coming a little faster, the Quarren told himself to calm down and follow procedure.

"Rogue Leader, this is hangar control," he said, "please transmit your clearance code."

"Transmitting."

Puan received the transmission and within seconds confirmed it was accurate and that the pilot of the X-Wing was indeed who he thought it was.

"Code received, Rogue Leader. Welcome to the _Intrepid. _Please set your craft down in slot 20."

"Understood hangar control, thanks. Rogue Leader out."

Puan quickly contacted the deck officer and advised him who was coming. Two of the hangar crew all but flew to slot 20. Puan watched anxiously from his station as the sleek double-winged fighter slipped into the hangar bay, its nose turning to follow the path to the indicated slot. The Quarren's eyes followed it all the way until the X-Wing skids touched the deck in a small rush of wind from the repulsors. The cockpit hood opened and out stepped the pilot, doffing his helmet as he climbed down the ladder one of the deck crew snapped into place. He exchanged salutes with them and then his face came into view.

_It's him_, Puan thought, _it's really him!_

In the next moment, a current of fear ran through the Quarren. Given who the pilot was, he should have contacted the bridge well before the X-Wing had landed. He did so now, enduring the somewhat angry words of the _Intrepid_'s captain chastising him for this slip of protocol. The X-Wing pilot crossed the hangar and had nearly reached the exit when the Elomin captain and some of his staff all but ran into the space, coming to a halt a few steps away. Salutes were exchanged.

"Welcome to the _Intrepid, _Commander. I'm sorry I wasn't here sooner to greet you."

The X-Wing pilot waved a hand. "That's fine, captain. I've never been someone who worries about protocol all that much. I do have one request however."

"Anything, Commander."

"I was hoping to see Mon Mothma as soon as possible."

"Of course, Commander, please come with me. I will personally escort you."

"Thank you," the X-Wing pilot said.

Puan watched them go and noticed that he was five minutes over his shift. He turned as saw his relief standing there, also looking to the hangar bay exit.

"Sorry," Puan said, quickly vacating the chair.

"No problem," said the other man, "I was looking too. Not every day we have an honest-to-goodness celebrity show up here, is it?"

"No, it isn't," Puan agreed, "Wonder what he's here for."

The other man shrugged, "Who knows? Grunts like us are the last to know about everything."

Puan nodded in agreement and then left the office, wondering at the reason for the presence of the X-Wing pilot all the way to his quarters.

* * *

**Rebel Command Ship **_**Intrepid**_

**Mon Mothma's Briefing Room**

**Ten Minutes later**

Having learned of the arrival of the X-Wing pilot, Mon Mothma said she would glad to receive immediately. She waited at the briefing room table now, wondering exactly why this man had come. The door chime sounded and she called, "Enter."

The doors slid aside to admit the _Intrepid_'s captain, Fundar Xoit, along with two of his officers. Walking with him was the X-Wing pilot. The captain announced him and then followed the man to a chair. Mon Mothma welcomed him to the _Intrepid_ and then dismissed the captain and his officers who looked a little disappointed at not being able to stay. Once the doors had closed, Mon Mothma turned to her unexpected guest.

"If there were another time, you'd be probably be a holovid star or some other kind of idol."

The man waved his hand dismissively.

"I wish people wouldn't treat me like that. I'm no different than they are."

"That's not exactly true," she said.

The man considered this and then nodded.

"I supposed you're right, but still…"

She raised a hand to stop him. "It is never going to change no matter what you do or say. My advice, get used to it."

The man smiled at her and nodded. "I'll think about it."

"Now," Mon Mothma said, "what brings you to this particular corner of the universe? I thought were on Coruscant and quite busy from the reports I've seen."

He nodded. "That's true. The reconstruction alone is a massive effort, even with those huge building drones we found and reactivated last month. There's also some other plans I have in the works, but that's not why I'm here."

"Oh?"

"As I recall, you have an operative working for you by the name of Kyle Katarn, right?"

Mon Mothma nodded. "You've met him before, about three years ago."

The man shrugged. "I think I remember that. But a lot has happened since then."

"True," Mon Mothma agreed.

"I'd like to meet with him, as soon as possible if I can."

He said this so seriously that Mon Mothma smiled and raised an eyebrow. "You meeting with any of my crew is never a problem."

When the man said nothing, she inquired further. "Is there some reason you want to see Kyle specifically?"

The man nodded and smiled. "I should know better than to try and hide anything from _you_. Yes, there is a reason."

When he told her, Mon Mothma's eyes went wide.

"Are you sure?" she asked, nearly incredulous.

The man nodded gravely, "Positive."

"He's currently in Sickbay, but I have a debriefing with him scheduled for tomorrow morning. Would that be convenient?"

"More than convenient," the man said, "I realize this is pretty last minute, but I had a strong feeling that I needed to come here right now and see him."

"Very well," Mon Mothma, standing up, "I'll see you at 0730 tomorrow."

The man rose as well and they shook hands.

"Can I ask you for one more thing?"

"Of course."

"Heading over like I did, I hadn't arranged for quarters, you don't suppose…"

The Rebel leader laughed out loud at this as she looked at his sheepish expression.

"I imagine anyone on the ship would give up his or her room for you. Give me a few minutes and I'll arrange something."

"Oh, good," the man said in a relieved tone, "thanks."

Mon Mothma reached to the comm panel, contacting the bridge.

* * *

**Rebel Command Ship **_**Intrepid**_

**Sickbay**

**The Next Day**

**0750 Hours**

When Kyle's eyes opened this time, he saw not the formless blackness of the nothing space, but instead the familiar ceiling of Sickbay. He sighed.

_My home away from home._

Just then, a face moved into view, smiling down at him.

"Hi Doc, I'm back, again."

"I know," Berth said, his smile widening, "how do you feel?"

Kyle tried moving and felt surprise that there was no jolt of pain or even a mild ache.

"Pretty good," he said, "considering the shape I was in before."

"You're telling me," Berth said, "when you came in, it looked like you'd gone five rounds with a Wookie, and lost."

"Oh thanks, Doc," Kyle said, "that makes me feel so much better."

"You're welcome," Berth said chuckling, "listen, I need to ask you something."

"Okay."

"Mon Mothma is coming to debrief in a few minutes. She says it's important, but I want to hear from you. Do you feel up to it?"

"I think so. Can I sit up?"

"Sure," Berth said, activating the bedside control to elevate Kyle's upper torso.

"That's better," the operative said after a few seconds, "hey, you got any water?"

The doctor smiled and handed over a large plastic jar filled to the top with a straw sticking out of the top. Kyle took a sip and smiled.

"Aaaahhh, that's good, really good."

Berth couldn't help but laugh again. "Y'know, I should start charging you for the water on top of the other accommodations."

"The way this tastes right now," Kyle returned, taking another sip, "I'll pay whatever you want."

The two shared a laugh and then Berth heard the Sickbay doors slide open. He glanced outside the room and saw Mon Mothma enter.

"She's coming," he said to Kyle, "I'd better go. But if you need anything, call me, okay?"

"Thanks, Doc, I appreciate it."

Berth smiled at him again as he stepped outside to greet Mon Mothma.

"How's Kyle?"

"Awake and thirsty, which are both good signs."

"And the debriefing?" she asked.

"Go right ahead," Berth said, "but please don't go too long."

"Understood, doctor," the Rebel leader said.

It was then Berth noticed her companion and his eyes went wide.

"Wait a minute, you're… you're…."

The man nodded. "That's me, all right."

"This is an honor, sir. Welcome to my Sickbay. I am Doctor Berth."

"Pleasure to meet you, Doctor," the man said, shaking hands with him.

"I'm sorry," Berth said, still not believing this, "I don't mean to stare. It's just that, the stories I've heard about you…"

The man looked away, his cheeks flushing a little.

"Doctor," Mon Mothma said, "I hate to interrupt this, but he's with me."

"Oh, right!" Berth said, suddenly embarrassed, "sorry, I didn't mean to…"

"Its fine, Doctor," the man said, stepping back, "glad to have met you."

"Same here," Berth said, watching as the pair disappeared through the bed curtains.

_I can't believe that just happened. Of all the people to come into my Sickbay! _

He wished he had a holo-imager to immortalize the moment. He moved to his desk, trying to remember if he had one there or not.

_Maybe, after they're done, I can ask him._

Passing through the curtains, Mon Mothma and the man saw Kyle, sitting up in bed, sipping at the contents of the plastic jug.

"Welcome back, Kyle."

The operative swallowed before speaking. "Good to see you too, Mon Mothma."

She moved to a chair in the room and sat down.

"I'd like to begin the debriefing, but before I do, let me introduce this man."

Kyle looked up into the face, feeling as if he had seen it before. The plain, unlined face, the blond hair, it all seemed somehow familiar.

"Kyle Katarn," the Rebel leader said, "Meet Luke Skywalker."


	27. Chapter 27: The Heart of a Friend

**Kyle Katarn: The Rise & Fall **

**Book 2: Birth of a Jedi **

**Chapter 27: The Heart of a Friend

* * *

**

A/N: Okay, nobody panic, but I actually managed to have a chapter done on time! I know, I know, up is down, black is white, dogs and cats living together! Seriously, I was fortunate to have the time this week and a huge collection stuffed inside my brain just waiting to get out. I've made a major decision too concerning Vinial which you'll see in the next chapter, but suffice it to say, I've dealt with her. And with that, let's do the shout outs!

Nerwen: Yeah, believe it or not, I am! Y'know, thinking 'bout that statement, it didn't make the most sense after all, oh well, my bad. I didn't realize it last chapter, but that conversation is the beginning of the arc to finally deal with Vinial which'll happen in Chapter 28. You so speak the truth. My best friend growing up was German and while he agreed that Hitler did "bad things", he also argued back that the man gave Germany back its pride as a country. Personally, I try not to be led around by the nose that way, although it can be hard at times. History demonstrates that all too clearly. Well, you look at how the character is held in such esteem, not too far from the modern day celebrity.

Tinuviel Undomiel: I had a feeling everyone would figure that out, but I had to try. You're right, that wasn't the best statement there, oh well. I imagine Kyle is carrying around all kinds of regrets for what he did as part of the Empire. When you see things in the light of truth, it isn't always the prettiest picture.

Jelfia Maleak: I am bad about those. One of my other reviewers nicknamed me "Cliffie". I debated about having Wee Gee do that, but I figured even a droid can make the decision to "gamble" at times.

Phygmalion: It was a tense scene, no doubt. I felt it too. Wait a minute. He's not? But I… I… Well, phooey! Oh well, such are the things that happen. Glad you liked the chapter just the same. I agree with you about the X-Wing series, they did an excellent job on that! I did develop an unhealthy hatred for Borsk Fey'la though.

Manus Dei: I was pretty y'all would figure it out. Hmmm, you may be right about the kids. It's like Kyle says, "Thanks a lot Jan, now I'm barren" and she reacts, "I did the universe a favor, Katarn."

Tig94: Hey, welcome back! Good to hear from you again! Well, think about it this way. Her behavior and attitude has always worked for her up to this time, so where's the impetus to change for her? You make a good point about what happened in the battle. In war, you kill the enemy. You're right about the review, well done I say!

A/N: All righty then, compadres! Nothing else I can really think to say except for you to enjoy the story! Until later!

* * *

**New Republic Command Ship **_**Intrepid**_

**Sickbay**

The blonde-haired man moved to the other side of Kyle's bed and extended a hand.

"Pleased to meet you, Mr. Katarn."

Kyle took the proffered hand and shook it while saying, "Please don't call me mister. I hate titles. It's Kyle."

"All right, Kyle, and I'm Luke."

After shaking hands, Skywalker took a chair.

"Wait a minute," Kyle said, snapping his fingers, "I think I remember you now. It was an incident with the _Crow. _ I met with you and your second in command."

"That's right," Luke said, remembering it as well, "Wedge Antilles. I remember he thought you had gone crazy when flew into the hangar bay of a Star Destroyer."

Kyle tried to remember doing that, but couldn't. Looking to Skywalker, he asked,

"So, Luke, what can I do for you?"

"Actually," Skywalker said, "I think we should let Mon Mothma do the debriefing. We can talk afterwards."

"Okay," Kyle said, turning to face the Rebel leader, "ready when you are."

"I still haven't met with Jan, but I gather you made it to Sulon without incident."

Kyle nodded and began to talk, describing what had happened on the mission, pausing only when Mon Mothma asked a question to clarify a certain point. Skywalker watched all this silently, the only change coming as he reacted to certain parts of the tale, particularly where Kyle described jumping from the exhaust port. An hour passed as the operative covered the details of the mission, finishing up with, "Unfortunately, 8t88's shuttle had launched by the time Jan got there, and I lost consciousness shortly after."

"Well," Mon Mothma said, face conveying her amazement at what had happened to Kyle, "it sounds like things got very dicey for you."

Kyle was tempted to comment that "dicey" was an understatement, but decided such observations were best kept to one's self. Instead he answered, "You're right about that."

"I'm amazed you made it out safely," Luke commented, "the Imperials sure didn't make it easy for you."

"You're right about that," Kyle replied.

"Well," Mon Mothma said, rising to her feet, "I believe I have all I need. I'll be meeting with Jan soon to get her mission report. In the meantime, Kyle, get your rest and report to me as soon as Doctor Berth pronounces you fit for duty."

"Will do."

"I'll leave you and Commander Skywalker to talk then. Luke, I'll see you at dinner tonight with the ship's officers."

Skywalker nodded and said, "I'll be there."

With that, Mon Mothma turned and passed through the curtains, leaving the two men alone.

"So, Luke, I think I can safely assume you're here for some reason."

"You could say that," Skywalker replied. He looked outside the room for a moment, then back to Kyle. "Actually I'm here to ask you something pretty important."

"And that is?"

Luke looked a little embarrassed, but he forged on. "I was on Coruscant until 26 hours ago when I received a vision from my mentor, Obi-Wan-Kenobi. He told me I needed to come here and seek you out."

"Obi-Wan-Kenobi?"

"He was a Jedi during the Clone Wars, back during the time of the Old Republic, "Luke explained

"Wait a minute," Kyle said, "I remember the name now. But wasn't he killed on the Death Star?"

A shadow crossed Luke's face, a look of sorrow and regret.

"Yes," he said quietly, "he _was_ killed then. But he is still with me even today."

"But how? Can…"

The friendly look on Skywalker's face faded, replaced with one of grim determination. "Kyle, forgive me for being blunt, but don't take me for a fool or a kid. I know you have visions too. Master Kenobi told me about Qu Rahn."

The words were said so plainly that Kyle had no reply. He knew in an instant he couldn't try and deny it. Skywalker had spoken with confidence. There was no way around it. And then he remembered what Rahn had told him, about another coming to aid in his training."

He looked directly into Luke's eyes. "Are you the one Rahn spoke of, the one who will train me?"

Luke nodded; his grim look fading and the smile returning.

"I am."

"Well," Kyle said, "you're sure didn't waste any time getting here."

Luke's laugh was loud and rich as Kyle said this.

"When a Jedi Master tells you to go, Kyle, you go."

Now it was the operative's turn to laugh.

"Well then, let me say thanks for coming, Luke. I appreciate it."

"I am glad to meet you too, Kyle. For a long time, I thought I was the last Jedi in the galaxy. It's good to see that I'm not alone anymore."

The two shook hands again, more warmly, a connection formed between them, born of their shared connection with each other.

"So," Kyle said, "what's the plan, Master?"

Luke held up a hand. "Don't call me that, Kyle. I'm not a Master yet, just a fellow Jedi like yourself."

"Well, if what Rahn says is true, you're way ahead of me."

"Perhaps," Luke said, "but I sense great potential in you. Master Kenobi told me that I would find a flame in the Force, a strong one. Being here now, I can see he was right."

"Did he actually say it like that?" Kyle asked.

When Luke nodded, he added, "Can you explain one thing to me, Luke? How come our mentors can't answer a question without making it sound like a speech?"

Both men laughed at this.

"I confess I'm not sure myself, Kyle. There are times Master Kenobi has been so cryptic it has taken me days to decipher his words."

"Rahn's the same way."

Just then, the two men heard footsteps approaching. The curtain was suddenly flung aside as someone entered.

As Jan approached Sickbay, she cursed herself once again for sleeping in. Vinial's story, along with her own worries and concerns had kept her up half the night. She had finally dropped off around 0300 and had slept until a little past 0830, having forgotten to set her alarm. The inside of her quarters resembled the scene after a tornado strikes as she fought to get out of bed and get dressed. With her clothes scattered about the room, she had finally settled on a mechanic's jumpsuit and brown boots. Her unruly hair had been especially uncooperative and she had finally settled on gathering it in a ponytail, jamming it through the back of a cap with the New Republic insignia on the brim. She was about to head for Sickbay when she remembered promising to meet with Vinial for breakfast. She tried calling the Twi'lek to reschedule, but reached her voice mail instead.

_Blast! That means she's probably waiting in the mess hall! _

Beginning to feel overly anxious and wanting to see Kyle, Jan realized she was panicking.

_Okay, Ors_, she thought, her control snapping down over her emotions, _there's no freaking out here, even over this, Figure out what you need to do and do it._

Closing her eyes and taking a deep breath, Jan felt her addled brain slow down and tackle the problem, bringing a solution within seconds. The first step was to check the mess hall and see if the Twi'lek was there. Nodding to herself, she took the controls of the scooter and headed that way. The trip didn't take long, but upon arriving, she was surprised to not see Vinial in the mess hall. She searched the entire room, in case Vinial had take a seat on the far side of the room, but there was no sign of the Twi'lek.

_Well, that's weird. This is where we agreed to meet, so where is she?_

She waited ten minutes and then, with no sign of Vinial coming or a call on her comm, Jan departed, focused on her next goal. Feeling a bit more anxiety now, but not wanting to attract attention, she forced herself to walk to the scooter depot and maintain a normal speed while heading for Sickbay, chomping at the bit as the transport seemed to be moving especially slow today. Nearing Sickbay, she had broken into a brisk walk, just shy of a run. Entering the room, she had waved at Berth and moved to Kyle's bed, not hearing the doctor as he tried to tell her that Kyle had a guest.

Now, the bed curtains flung aside, she saw the other man inside the room. He wore an all black jumpsuit, his blond hair and pale skin a strong contrast. In the next instant, she recognized the face. Her feet came together as she came to attention and saluted; eyes wide with shock.

"Commander Skywalker."

Luke returned the salute. "Come in, please, Miss…"

"This is Jan Ors, Luke, my partner in crime and a master technician that somehow manages to keep my ship from falling apart."

Skywalker got up and extended a hand. "A pleasure to meet you, Miss Ors."

"You can call me Jan, "she said, and then chastened herself for acting so familiar with the man.

"Jan then," Luke said, "I've seen your ship. It reminds me a little of the _Millennium Falcon_."

"That's Han Solo's ship isn't it?" Kyle asked.

Luke nodded.

"Is it anything like the stories say it is?"

"Probably more, or maybe less. Truth be told, Kyle, the _Falcon_ is a ship that needs to be experienced to get a grasp of what it's truly like."

"If you have time," Kyle said, "maybe you check out my ship, the _Moldy Crow_. It isn't much, but it's gotten the job done so far.

As he looked to Jan, he immediately regretted the last statement. Her glare was strong and hard, eyes flashing. Luke didn't seem to notice this and chuckled.

"I imagine it is. If there's time, I'd definitely like to see it."

Jan's expression morphed into a smile directed at the Jedi.

"I can give you a tour at your convenience, Commander."

"That'd be fine, Jan. But please call me Luke. I haven't been a Commander for a while now."

She nodded at this.

"So what brings you here, sir?" she asked.

"Oh," Luke said, somewhat distractedly, "just a few things. I've been hearing a lot about Kyle here and wanted to meet him."

"Is that right? And did Kyle happen to mention that we're a team; that I go with him on his missions?"

Luke shook his head. "I'm sorry, I didn't know that."

Kyle hesitated, realizing he was already in trouble and not wanting to add fuel to the fire. But looking at her face, he decided to try and mitigate things.

"That's right. Jan's my pilot and mission officer. Plus, she's saved my life oh, how many times is it now, Jan? Six? Seven?"

"Eleven," she said flatly.

Luke watched this exchange in mute fascination, sensing the changes in the Force. At the same time, he decided that had he not been a Jedi, he still would have sensed the tension growing in the room. It was that obvious.

_Perhaps I should leave before this gets any worse._

The look on Jan's face confirmed his decision.

"Well look, I should let you two talk. Kyle, as soon as you're up and about, let's have a meeting. I want to finish our discussion."

"You got it, Luke. I'm looking forward to it."

The two shook hands once more and after, excusing himself, the blonde-haired man left the room, closing the curtains behind him.

Berth met him outside, holo-imager in hand. After submitting graciously to the request for a photograph, Luke turned to doctor.

"Let me ask you something if I may. Kyle and Jan, are they… friends?"

Berth nodded. "The best of friends, partners in the best sense of the word."

"Really?" Luke said somewhat dubiously, "because when I left, she didn't look exactly happy with him."

"Welllllll," Berth said, "they _do_ have their differences."

Inside the room, Jan moved to the foot of the bed and directed her strongest glare at Kyle.

"Explanations, Katarn, now."

"What explanations?" he said, mock-defensively.

"How about we start with why one of the heroes of the Rebellion, son of Darth Vader, brother to the Princess Leia Organa and the last surviving Jedi is doing here talking to _you_?"

For a moment, Kyle considered telling Jan everything. He knew she deserved to hear the truth. But he was also afraid, afraid she wouldn't believe him, afraid she'd reject his story as a lie, but even more afraid that she'd believe every word and what it might do to their relationship. He decided to try and string her along.

"It's like Luke said. He heard about me and wanted to meet. What's so strange about that?"

"Nothing, unless you consider who Luke Skywalker _is_, Katarn. No offense, but you're not exactly in his league."

"What's that supposed to mean?" he shot back.

She shook her head at him. "You're stalling, Katarn. Now, tell me what Skywalker was _doing_ here."

"Nothing, Jan. He was here with Mon Mothma when she came by to debrief me and I was introduced to him. We got talking after she left. That's it."

_I hope she buys this. She oughta; it's not exactly a lie._

Looking at Jan's face, he could see she wasn't totally convinced yet. "And what were you talking about?"

"Normal stuff; where I came from, where he's from, spacecraft, things like that."

"So why does he want to meet with you later?"

Kyle decided to up the ante and gave an exasperated sigh. "Because 'someone' interrupted us in the middle of our conversation."

"Well excuse me for wanting to make sure you were all right," she shot back.

Kyle saw the hint of emotion in her eyes and decided to quit fighting.

"I guess you were worried," he said calmly.

"Considering the way you collapsed on that roof, yes was worried. I'm not sure why now."

"You saved my life again," he said, looking directly at her and smiling, "I guess that makes it twelve now."

She looked away.

"Katarn?"

"Yes, Jan?"

"Shut up."

"Yes, Jan."

After a moment, she turned to look at him again.

"So?"

"So?" he echoed.

"Are you all right or not?" she demanded.

"Doc says so. Still not sure when I'm getting out of here."

"As much time as you spend here; maybe you ought to move your quarters here."

"Hey," he said brightly, "now that's an idea. But where's Wee Gee gonna go?"

"I'm not laughing, Katarn."

"I think I could fit my dresser in here, but then there's the bookcase…"

"Still not laughing, Katarn."

Despite here protests, he could tell she was weakening.

"And what about visitors? I guess I could ask Doc about that, get you a special pass, then…"

Jan moved to the side of the bed and covered his mouth with her hand, then pulled it away quickly as Kyle licked it.

"Eeewwww! That's gross, Katarn! What in space is wrong with you?"

"Sorry," he said, then added, "Jan?"

"_What_, Katarn?"

"I'm glad you're here. Thanks for saving my life again."

Jan felt her eyes sting as he said this, but she willed the tears away. Now was not the time for emotion. Besides, she had an important question to ask him, given Vinials' story. She should get it over with, she knew. But as she look down, seeing that honest face, she knew she couldn't do it, at least not right then. She looked away, not sure what to say next. Suddenly, she felt a warm sensation. Looking down, she saw where Kyle's hand had enveloped hers. The sensation seemed to move up her arm and spread out from there. The next thing she knew, there was a gentle, but insistent pull on her hand.

"What do you want, Katarn?" she said, trying not to smile at him,

"To thank you," he said and pulled a little harder.

Jan bent forward; allowing him to pull her close, even though part of her worried that someone might see him.

As if in response to her unvoiced concern, Kyle said, "the curtains are closed. No one can see."

She felt a sudden rush of feeling and sensation inside her and let go, closing her eyes as she felt the touch of Kyle's lips on hers. The warm feeling from before was even more intense now, a gentle, comforting sensation. She felt one of his hands touch her hair, caressing it. She smiled as she kissed him.

"That feels good," she murmured, reaching out her free hand to caress his face, the beard hairs soft and pliable against her skin. She began to feel even warmer, her heart beginning to beat faster. But just then, Vinial's face appeared in her mind, and the story she had told. Neither of them realized Jan had begun to cry until twin tears tracked down and dropped onto Kyle's face. Their kiss broke suddenly and Jan straightened up, letting go of Kyle's hand as she reached up to her cheeks, feeling the wetness there. When she looked down at him, she saw her own confusion and worry reflected on his face.

"Jan? What's wrong?"

She almost did it, almost spoke, almost told him what Vinial had said, and almost asked what she wanted to know. But looking down at him, seeing his earnestness, his genuine feelings for her, she couldn't do it.

"Nothing," she said, wiping the tears with two quick swipes of her hand, "I'm just a little tired is all. I'll be fine."

"Jan, has something happened? Did I upset you?"

When he said this, she felt as if a giant fist were crushing her heart. Her whole chest seemed to hurt. She shook her head at him, almost violently.

"No, no, I'm fine, Kyle, just fine. Look, I need to go."

"Jan…"

"I'll see you when you get out of here, okay?"

Without waiting for an answer, she moved quickly passing through the curtains, her footsteps receding in the distance. Nearly a minute passed before Doctor Berth entered, looking nearly as confused as Kyle felt.

"Something happen?"

Kyle shrugged. "I dunno. One moment we were… uh, talking, and the next thing I know, she started crying and took off."

"You two have another fight?"

"Well, yeah, but that was before. Everything seemed fine until a few seconds ago, and then, bam! She's gone."

"You sure she wasn't mad at you?"

"Yes, Doc," Kyle said somewhat exasperatedly, "I'm sure. I can tell the difference between anger and whatever Jan was feeling just now."

"Okay, okay," Berth said, "just making sure. Sometimes you two are just like oil and water. In any case, you ready for some good news?"

"I could definitely use some," Kyle said.

"All your tests look good and you're healing even better than I'd projected. What do you say to getting out of here tomorrow morning?"

"What, and leave my home away from home? Why Doc, for shame!"

Berth laughed aloud while Kyle managed to chuckle a bit, his mind was still consumed with what had just happened. It wasn't like Jan to let her emotions get out of control like that.

_Something's happened to her. I don't know what, but something has. But if she doesn't want to talk about it, I won't force her. She'll probably tell me before long. _

After using the bedside comm. to send a message to Luke, Kyle lay back and stared at the ceiling for a while, spending equal time considering what Luke had said and what had happened with Jan. In time, he fell asleep.

* * *

**New Republic Command Ship **_**Intrepid**_

**Quarters of Jan Ors**

As the door slid silently shut behind her, Jan leaned against it, a sense of relief washing through her, along with a myriad of other emotions. She looked down at her hands and saw they were shaking. No, not just her hands, her whole body seemed to be trembling. She gripped her elbows with each hand, hugging herself, trying to still the shaking, but it wasn't working. Head down, she managed to walk to her bed and sat down heavily on it. Her heart beat painfully inside her chest and her mind, traitor that it was, kept bringing images of Kyle to her, his face, his words. How she wished it would go away so she could try and figure this thing out. Part of her wanted to throw her head back and scream, scream until she had no voice left. But that would likely attract unwanted attention, and the last thing she wanted right now was to talk to anyone else.

"Blast you, Kyle Katarn," she said in a low voice, "how dare you do this to me? You can't, I won't let you. Not when I…"

The words trailed off as her vision blurred with a fresh wave of tears. They streamed down her face in a seemingly unending river, her breath beginning to hitch until she was sobbing, unable to stop the waves of pain and hurt. She saw her parents' faces and wished for the umpteenth time that they were still alive. Her mother always seemed to know the answer when things got to Jan and her father, while not always knowing what to say, was a comforting presence that was always there. Together, the two of them were like a warm blanket full of love. And at this moment, Jan wished she could crawl into that blanket and hide inside it. Minutes passed as she sat there, her heart, mind and body in anguish. When the door chime sounded, she didn't hear it at first. It took four more rings before her brain even acknowledged the sound. Jan turned to look that way as the chime rang again.

_Oh no, _she thought, _not now, not now. Go away, whoever you are._

But the chime rang again, as if refusing to acknowledge her plea.

_I can't answer it, I won't answer it. _

But the chime kept ringing, until it became a cacophonous sound that seemed to fill her mind. Sudden anger rose inside, pushing away the hurt momentarily.

"All right, all right!" she shouted, "I'm coming!"

She was surprised to hear how strong and confident her voice was. She was sure her feelings would come pouring out the moment she spoke, but they hadn't. Feeling a little surprised at herself, Jan reluctantly rose from the bed and moved slowly to the door, each step feeling as if she were moving through mud. When she reached the door panel, she hit the intercom with one sweep of her hand and again with that strong voice, spoke.

"Yes?"

"Jan?"

The operative felt a shock of surprise shoot up through her chest. She knew the owner of the voice on the other side and it was the last person she expected to hear from.

"Yes?" she said again.

"Are you all right?"

_No, _she thought, _I'm not all right. The person I thought I hated has turned into a victim, my best and closest friend may be a murderer and there's not a blasted thing I can do about any of it! _

But to the speaker she said, "Yes, I'm fine."

A new voice came through.

"Can we come in?"

_Oh great, both of them came. _

"Actually," the operative said, "now isn't a good time. I'm right in the middle of…"

"Jan," the first voice said, "let us in. We know something's wrong."

The operative closed her eyes, wishing with all her might that the visitors would go away. She didn't want to talk right now, to anyone.

"There's nothing wrong," she managed, "I'm fine and I'm kinda busy. So if you wouldn't mind…"

"We're not leaving until you let us in, Jan," the second voice said.

Again, the operative closed her eyes, the faintest of smiles appearing on her lips as she shook her head, remembering a similar incident with Kyle. The memory brought with it another wave of strong emotion and it was only through a great effort that she remained in control. At the same time, she thought of the line from before.

"I can call Security," she said.

"Fine," said the first voice, "and then we'll explain our side and they'll _force_ you to open the door."

Jan contemplated this and after a few seconds, dropped her head in a nod, knowing they were right. Without another word, she touched a control. The door slid open and into the room stepped the two she had heard, Tinuviel Undomiel and Nerwen Aldarion. But to the operative's surprise, there was one more, Zetton Wineglass.

"What," Jan said, eyes wide, "… are you all doing here?"

"Checking on you," said Nerwen.

"We were worried," added Tinuviel.

Jan looked into their faces, still confused.

"You were concerned? I don't…"

"You passed by us," said Tinuviel.

"We called to you and you didn't even look at us," added Nerwen.

"So we knew something was wrong," said Tinuviel.

"And here we are," concluded Nerwen.

"I happened to run into these two after finishing my shift," said Wineglass, "and decided to come along."

"So what's wrong?" asked Nerwen.

"Please tell us," added Tinuviel.

"It's Kyle, isn't it?" said Wineglass.

With three sets of eyes looking at her, earnest and caring, Jan felt her defenses crumble. Her eyes stung and her face burned as her emotions rose to the surface once again. She was nearly sobbing again when Tinuviel and Nerwen guided her to the bed, sitting on either side, Wineglass taking a chair and sitting opposite them.

"It's all right, Jan, "said Tinuviel, squeezing her right hand, "it's all right."

"We're here," said Nerwen, squeezing Jan's left hand, "it's going to be okay."

Wineglass reached and gently patted the operative on her knee.

"Jan, can I tell them? Please?"

The operative said nothing, but after a moment, managed to nod.

Tinuviel and Nerwen turned to Wineglass as the archivist began to speak. Their attention turned rapt when Vinial's name was mentioned and their own tears began to fall as Wineglass told them Vinial's story. Jan suddenly felt warmth all over as Tinuviel hugged her tightly and Nerwen rubbed her back, muttering sympathetic words. Wineglass stood up and rested her hand atop Jan's head, gently caressing. The three remained like this for a while as Jan poured out the hurt, the fear and everything else that had been building up inside her. In time, her tears dried and the operative was left with only the overwhelming feeling of care and concern by her friends. She marveled how it almost felt like it was with her parents back on Alderaan.

At one point, the operative found enough of voice to speak.

"Thank you all," she said quietly.

"You're welcome," said Tinuviel.

"This is what friends do," added Nerwen.

"She's right," concluded Wineglass.

* * *

**Some Time Later**

"Well I, for one, don't believe a word of it," said Nerwen, pulling a morsel from her plate and popping it into her mouth.

"I agree," said Tinuviel, "Imperial or not, Kyle is not a murderer."

Wineglass nodded. "Just because he was there doesn't mean he was involved."

Tinuviel nodded. "This _is _Vinial we're talking about. How many times has she lied already?"

"Right," said Nerwen, "why should you trust her now?"

The four women sat in a rough circle, plates of food, drinks and flatware arranged in front of them, having been retrieved by Wineglass from the mess hall.

"I hear you," said Jan, her eyes still red and puffy, "but she seemed so earnest."

"Look," said Wineglass, "I _saw_ the mission report and while it might seem to implicate him, you have to take Kyle's character into consideration."

"Exactly," said Tinuviel, "Kyle _is_ a fighter and all. But there's nothing in him to even suggest he could have done this thing."

"Killing the enemy is one thing," added Nerwen, "but killing innocents?" She shook her head. "No way, not Kyle."

Jan listened, looking at the others in turn as they debated the merits of Vinial, her story and Kyle's character, conduct and other things. All the arguments and debates she had had with herself were brought up and debated, always coming around to the same conclusion, that Kyle could not have been the one who had shot the Twi'lek. It just didn't make sense.

"Whatever the case," she said at one point, "what I really need to do is ask him. Once I do that and he tells me no, then the whole issue is solved for good."

Tinuviel, Nerwen and Wineglass all agreed this was so and encouraged Jan to get it over with and ask Kyle as soon as possible.

"I really don't think he'll mind," said Tinuviel.

"Explain why you're asking and he'll understand," added Nerwen.

"He's not going to be upset by the question," said Wineglass, "not when knows the context. Now, as for Vinial…"

The conversation began to take a darker turn as the women began to plot what they would do to the Twi'lek once the truth was revealed.

"It comes down to this," said Wineglass at one point, "we can't leave a body. I'm imagining an airlock, an accidental flip of switch and… poof! Problem solved."

Tinuviel and Nerwen tried to chide her for something so serious, but Wineglass busting out in laughter seconds later infected them and soon, laughter began to fill the room as the co-heads of Intelligence tried to top one another on even more embarrassing and gruesome ways to deal with Vinial. In time, even Jan found herself laughing with them, her earlier hurt and pain all but forgotten. More time passed as the operative realized just how grateful she was that these three had come in her time of need. She told them so and all three seemed embarrassed by the praise.

"What did you expect?" said Tinuviel, "that we'd leave you alone to suffer?"

"You're stuck with us, Jan Ors," added Nerwen, "whether you like it or not."

"Never underestimate us, either," said Wineglass, affecting a voice, "ve haff vays of making you talk."

"I'm not sure whether I should be happy or scared," Jan scared.

"Both!" all three women said together.

They departed a short time later, but not before extracting a promise from Jan to let them know the answer as soon as she asked Kyle, and reminding her to contact any of them when and if she needed help. Hugs were exchanged as the three departed and when the door closed, Jan drifted back to her bed, feeling positively full of good feelings. Even thinking of Kyle didn't hurt as much; instead it filled her with a sense of anticipation about asking him the question and getting her answer. It was then she looked at the chronometer and saw that it was well past 2200 hours.

_I need to get to bed, _she decided, _and tomorrow, I'll corner Katarn in Sickbay and make him tell me. Then I'll know. _

Undressing, she slipped under the covers and with the warm memory of Tinuviel, Nerwen and Wineglass having come to her aid, she fell into dreamless sleep.

* * *

**New Republic Command Ship **_**Intrepid**_

**Sickbay **

**0915 Hours**

"What do you mean he's gone?" Jan asked incredulously.

"I'm sorry," Doctor Berth said, "I didn't realize you didn't know. After you left yesterday, I got the final results on Kyle's test and they showed him in the pink, so I released him about an hour ago."

Jan wanted to scream in frustration. The morning had been going perfectly up till then. She had awoken at her customary time, dressed without making a mess, and had had an enjoyable breakfast before heading to Sickbay looking forward to seeing Kyle.

_And now this!_

"Did he say where he was going?"

Berth shook his head. "I figured back to his quarters."

"Great!" she exclaimed, almost throwing up her hands in frustration.

"I'm sorry," the doctor repeated.

"It's not your fault," Jan said half-heartedly, "I just really needed to talk to him."

"Well, the ship's not that big," Berth said cheerfully, "I imagine you'll bump into him sooner or later."

His smile faded as Jan glared at him, then turned and left the room.

Watching her go, Berth almost wished he knew where Kyle was so he could warn him. Remembering his comm, he tried the device only to discover Kyle had turned his off.

_Sorry, Kyle, I tried._

Outside of Sickbay, Jan worked to push past her annoyance and try to figure out where Kyle might have gone. She tried his quarters, but neither he nor Wee Gee answered. She tried the mess hall for the second time that day, but no luck there either. A search of the gym brought the same results.

_Where _are_ you, Kyle? _

She tried a few other places, growing more annoyed by the second.

_I swear, Katarn, when I find you…_

Just then, her comm went off. Coming to a halt, she pulled out the device.

"This is Jan."

"Jan, this is Mon Mothma. I was hoping to have your debriefing today on the recent Sulon mission. Might you be available in an hour?"

The operative was tempted to refuse and claim she was busy. But busy with what? Making stuff up on the spot was not Jan's forte, and it was likely the Rebel leader would see through it.

She sighed. "That will be fine, Mon Mothma. See you then."

Ringing off, she returned the comm to her pocket.

_You're not off the hook yet, Katarn. I'm gonna find you if I have to search this whole blasted ship!

* * *

_

**New Republic Command Ship **_**Intrepid**_

**Auxiliary Gymnasium**

"Blast!"

Kyle felt the momentary pain and vibration as Luke's blow sent the sword hilt flying out of his hands. It flew off to the side, hitting the ground and sliding a ways before coming to a halt. In front of him, his trainer shook his head again.

"You've got to give the Force more control, Kyle."

Going to retrieve his sword, the operative called over his shoulder. "I'm trying, but it's hard. I'm so used to using my own strength, it's hard to change."

"I understand," Luke said, "I remember when Master Yoda said to me, 'you must unlearn what you have learned.' It took me a long time to get it."

Sword in hand now, Kyle moved back to mat spread out on the floor. It was marked and sweat stained, proof of the multiple falls he had taken onto it. Since leaving Sickbay this morning, he had met Luke for a small breakfast and then had come here to begin training.

_Or learning to fall, _he thought bitterly, thinking of how things had been going. After a half hour run to warm up their collective muscles and stretching to prepare their bodies, he and Luke had begun. And Kyle had quickly found out how little he really knew, of lightsaber combat and especially of the Force.

"I'm just glad you decided to use these," he said, indicating the wooden sword.

"I try not to maim the first time," Luke said with a grin.

"I'm not sure if I like that or not," Kyle returned.

Both men laughed and then Luke said, "Let's try it again. Now, remember, concentrate on guarding only. Don't worry about striking back, okay?"

Kyle nodded, holding the sword in front of his face, waiting. Suddenly, Luke stepped forward, the blade of his sword little more than a blur as he went for a strike. Kyle moved and loud "clack" was heard as the wooden blades struck each other.

"Good," said Luke, "a horizontal block is always best against a vertical strike."

He drew back, shifted his blade and came in again, this time with a horizontal slash. Kyle responded by holding his sword vertically in front of him. Again the blades crashed.

"That's right, good decision. Now let's try this."

He moved in again, striking first horizontally, but changing it midway through to a vertical strike. Kyle tried to shift his blade as well, but…

"Ow!"

The mat made a "poof" sound as he fell onto it, his sword clattering onto the floor nearby.

Luke's face appeared above.

"You all right?"

"I suppose," said Kyle.

Smiling, Luke reached down a hand and helped him back up.

"Your reactions are good, but too slow. You need to be able to change your defenses quickly, sometimes in a split second."

Kyle nodded. "I'm wondering if I'm ever gonna get this."

Luke smiled at him. "You _will_, Kyle. You just need to quit trusting yourself so much and the Force so little."

"You're right," the operative said, his voice a little dejected.

Luke stared at him, rubbing his chin as he thought about something. Then he smiled again.

"I wasn't planning on doing this until later, but I think we should try it now. It might just boost your confidence."

Kyle shrugged.

Moving to where he had laid a small bag with his lightsaber and some other training tools, Luke retrieved a band of black cloth. Approaching Kyle, he moved behind the man and a moment later, the operative saw the black band reappear, heading toward him.

"What are you doing?"

"Trying something that I think will help."

"And what is that supposed to mean?"

"Sorry," Luke said," that's Master Kenobi rubbing off on me. I'm doing this to try and get you to use the Force more and your own senses less."

"Okay," Kyle said, "but if I can't see, how am I gonna fight?"

"Let the Force be your eyes, Kyle. It will show what you to do."

"All right, but if this doesn't work, it's your fault, Luke."

"Accepted. You ready?"

"I think this is nuts, but yes."

"Take your position," Luke said, his voice sounding as if he were in front.

Kyle raised his sword, unable to see even the merest spark of light, and waited, certain that he'd end up on the floor any second now.

"Do not assume anything, Kyle, neither success nor failure. Just trust in the Force. And… begin!"

Hearing the movement of Luke's feet, Kyle raised his sword in what he thought was the right place and heard the "clack" of the sticks followed a moment later by the touch of Luke's blade on his wrist.

"See? Told you this wouldn't work."

"Quit trying to fight me using your senses, Kyle."

Luke moved in again and Kyle tried to defend, but instead felt the other blade smack him in the chest.

Exasperated, the operative threw his sword on the ground.

"This is stupid! The Force isn't helping me at all! How in space can I fight without seeing! It's impossible! I mean, I know you're trying and all, Luke, but this is ridiculous. How can I…"

Kyle trailed off and heard silence descend.

"Are you there?"

"Yes."

"How come you're not saying anything, then?"

He heard Luke chuckle. "I was reminiscing. I said nearly everything you did when I was in training."

"I thought you'd be mad."

"I'm not," Luke said, "I understand what you're going through, Kyle. Learning to use the Force is not an easy thing. But I know if you can just open yourself to it, you will be stunned at what you can really do."

Hearing this, Kyle's anger cooled. He heard no deprecation or frustration in Luke's words, only sympathy and understanding.

"Can we try again?" he said.

Luke laughed aloud.

"What?"

"If Master Yoda were here right now, he'd tell you, 'No, do or do not. There is no try.'"

At first, Kyle didn't understand, but as his mind chewed on it, it made sense to him. The Force wasn't a maybe thing, either you used it or not. The same held true for most other decisions, do it or don't. Trying wasn't part of the equation.

"Then I want to do it," Kyle said, positioning his sword, "I don't know how many attempts it'll take. But I won't give up."

"Well said. All right then: are you ready?"

"Yes."

"Then… begin!"

Just as he heard Luke move forward, a new voice entered Kyle's mind. It took less than a second for him to identify it as Rahn.

_**As before, Kyle, follow the steps, one by one, position to position.**_

The words triggered a memory of his early lightsaber training with the old Jedi guiding him, how he'd follow the steps as Rahn counted them out. He remembered the joy he had felt as he had mastered each one and then, when he had executed the whole sequence without the slightest misstep.

_**Remember that, Kyle, remember.**_

"yle… Ky… Kyle!"

Luke's voice come with such suddenness and force that Kyle reacted like a man waking up from a dream. Light entered his eyes and he realized he blindfold had been removed.

"You okay?" Luke asked, looking concernedly at him.

"Yeah, I… I think so. But wow, that was weird."

"What was weird?"

Kyle explaining hearing Rahn's voice: remembering the earlier training.

"Well, I didn't see that, but something definitely happened. You blocked every single one of my blows."

"I… what?"

Luke nodded, smiling, "Every last one of them, even the combinations."

"But I don't remember…"

"I'm serious, Kyle. You were excellent. And what I sensed in the Force…"

"In the Force?"

Luke nodded again. "Most of this time, you been more or less a jumbled mess in it, moving about so randomly it's no wonder you couldn't focus. But just now, you were calm, at peace and you reacted precisely to each of my attacks."

Looking nearly as incredulous as he felt, Kyle stared at Luke until the latter shrugged and said, "Fine, you don't believe me? Then I'll show you."

Moving to his gear once more, the blonde-haired man returned with a small box-like device.

"I use this holocamm to record my own practices and then review the recording to see what I need to work on. I've had it recording our entire session."

Whatever annoyance Kyle might have had at Luke not telling him this before was overridden by the desire to see the video and find out if he had really done as Luke said. Activating the display screen, the trainer flipped through images until he found the moment just before the two had begun their last sequence.

"Okay, now, watch this."

Kyle saw himself holding his sword and hearing himself tell Luke was he ready. He saw his trainer come forward and that's when it watched, almost unbelieving, as he sucked in a breath and shifted his stance a little. When Luke came in with the first strike, a horizontal, his blade moved in a single, precise movement to block the blow. Luke backed away and then moved in again, and with another precise movement, Kyle blocked the vertical strike. Then, the trainer came in with a vertical strike that turned into a horizontal one. Kyle's blade shifted almost faster than the human eye could see and there was a sharp "clack" as the blades intersected. He saw Luke smile as he backed away, then drove in with another attack.

"Is that really me?" Kyle whispered as he watched himself move, blocking another blow, then another. Smiling, Luke upped the ante and drove in with a sweep at the legs, followed by a second to the chest. Sharp "clacks" were heard as Kyle's blade intersected the trainers' both times.

Pausing the image, Luke turned to him. "Believe me now?"

"I saw it, but I almost don't believe it. How did I do that? Especially that double attack, we haven't even practiced that!"

"This" Luke said, pointing at the display "is what happens when you allow yourself to trust in the Force, Kyle."

"I… I don't believe it."

Luke laughed. "I said the same thing to Master Yoda once."

"And what did _he_ say?"

Luke's smile was wide and genuine.

"That… is why you fail."

Kyle took this in and then nodded.

"I think… I think I might understand what he meant."

Luke nodded, and then looked at his chrono. "I've got a meeting in about forty-five minutes. You wanna go a bit longer?"

Kyle smiled back at him. "Yes, yes I do."

Fifteen minutes later, both men emerged from the gymnasium out into the corridor. Kyle stretched, hearing his joints crack a bit.

"That," he said, "was hard."

"If I've learned nothing else, Kyle, it's that Jedi training is never easy."

"True," the operative said, "and while I'm tired of eating mat, I kinda feel like I'm learning too."

"You _are_ progressing, Kyle," Luke said honestly, "those last three attacks especially. Remember…"

"I need to concentrate on giving the Force control, right?"

"Exactly," Luke said, smiling. "I'll see you tomorrow morning, 0800."

"I'll be there," Kyle said.

The two men parted, heading off their respective destinations. Arriving at his quarters, Kyle thought he trying a meditation session after lunch.

_Maybe I can get close to the Force that way._

He also thought of Jan and smiled. Moving to his desk, he called her quarters, but got her machine instead.

"Hey, it's me," he said, "just checking to see how you're doing and hoping we can meet for dinner or something. I'd also like to talk about what happened in Sickbay. Okay? Call me."

That done, he sat down on his bed Indian style and closed his eyes; reaching out to the Force.

* * *

Over the next five days, it seemed as if anything and everything conspired to keep Jan and Kyle separate. When he wasn't training with Luke, Kyle was occupied with other duties, including serving a shift in Tactical. As for Jan, she split time between meetings, bridge duty and meeting a few times with Vinial, who seemed more convinced than ever about Kyle's role in her mother's death. Thanks to her friends, Jan was able to endure with her emotions becoming overwrought. And no matter the strength of the Twi'lek's convictions, she refused to believe Kyle had done it. The pair also exchanged several messages, apologizing more than once for missing each other.

As much as he missed seeing his partner, Kyle was grateful for the time he was able to spend with Luke. The training sessions were grueling and exhausting, but he was making progress with each passing day. The pair had moved on to attacks the day before and Luke mentioned that if things kept going the way they were, he felt they could move onto actual lightsaber combat in a few more days. Kyle exulted in this; feeling as if he were getting closer to being a true Jedi. Luke also said they were going to start working on Force powers soon and if Kyle was enjoying the combat sessions, he really enjoy this next thing.

He was just coming from his most recent training session and contemplating what to have for lunch. Arriving at his quarters, he decided to head for the mess hall first and then have a meditation session as he had the rest of the day free. But as soon as he entered the room, the operative saw that his plan would be circumvented for sitting there in the desk chair was Jan. She turned to face him.

"About time you got here," she said.

Stunned by her sudden appearance, Kyle let go of his gym bag, hearing the soft sound as hit the floor. A part of him was glad to see her, but as for the rest…

"What are you doing here, Jan?"

"I think that'd be obvious to you, Katarn," she said without a trace of a smile, "I'm waiting for you. And what's with that lock code?"

"What do you mean?"

"1…2…3…4," she intoned, then threw up her hands, "I mean, what were you thinking, Katarn?"

"That it was too obvious for anyone to try," he replied.

She shook her head at him. "A good hacker always goes for the obvious, Katarn, remember that. I was tempted to reprogram it with something harder."

"You didn't?" he said, fearing he'd have to memorize a complex combination.

"No, but you _should_."

"I'll think about it," he said, "now as to why you're here…?"

She got up from the chair, crossed over and took his hand, pulling him out of the room.

He protested. "Hey… Jan, wait a minute. What are you doing? What are you taking me?"

Her glare seemed to pierce him

"Just shut up and come with me," she said.

Unsure, but unwilling to risk her wrath, Kyle allowed her to lead him down the corridor and in time, to the airlock he had discovered a while back. Coming to a halt, Jan released his hand and turned to face him. To his surprise, she wasn't glaring any more. Instead, her face had an uncertain look.

"Kyle, I want to ask you something and I want you to tell me the truth, okay?"

He nodded. "All right."

She took a deep breath. "Back when you were with the Empire, do you remember a mission to the planet Ryloth?"

Kyle thought for a time, and then said, "I think so. The mission commander told us we were part of a tactical group sent to arrest insurrectionists working to overthrow the legitimate government."

"Typical Imperial doublespeak," she said disgustedly, "now, while on the mission, do you remember some of these 'insurrectionists' attempting to escape?"

Kyle thought a bit more, and then his face clouded. "Yes… I do. But Jan, why are you asking me this?"

"Just answer my question, Katarn. There was an escape attempt?"

He nodded.

She swallowed nervously, dreading the next question and having trouble looking him in the eyes. "What happened to the escapees?"

He looked away for a moment, and then his eyes came back to her.

"They were shot," he said simply.

"Kyle," she said, "I don't want to ask you this, but I have to know. Did _you_ shoot those Twi'leks?"

She waited, expecting an instant denial, a refutation, an explanation of who had really done it. But it didn't come. Instead, Kyle was looking down, his shoulders hunched.

_Oh no, _Jan thought, _no, no way. This can't be. You didn't do this, Katarn. I know you didn't._

She reached out a hand, touched his cheek. "Kyle?"

Slowly, his face came up, eyes meeting hers. And in them, Jan saw the answer even before he spoke.

"Yes," he said, "I shot them."


	28. Chapter 28: The Price of the Past

**Kyle Katarn: The Rise & Fall **

**Book 2: Birth of a Jedi **

**Chapter 28: The Price of the Past

* * *

**

A/N: Happy Friday, everyone. Hope you are well and the week is treating you properly. Under threat of reprisal from Tinuviel and Nerwen, I present the latest chapter of Kyle Katarn: The Rise & Fall Book 2. As I mentioned last chapter, I finally found a way to deal with Vinial, permanently. But before you see what I've come up with, let's do the shout outs!

Tinuviel Undomiel: I have to admit, I was nervous about that being true, but the reaction so far has been more subdued than I thought it would be. The line you refer to just struck as something Jan would say, she's a real master at making something innocuous-looking sound major. The hand licking thing struck me as perfect comedy, and it worked! I knew you'd like this kissing scene, even though it was interrupted. Don't worry; I'll have another in time. The girl talk scene was one I was really nervous about writing, being a guy and all. But it seems to have worked. More to the story? Well, maybe not, but Vinial gets dealt with, trust me on that.

Nerwen Aldarion: Glad you liked it! Kyle and Luke are quite similar, as you pointed out. Its weird how in Jedi Outcast, the game creators show them as something like rivals. Jan is a master at reading situations, she knew something was up from moment one. Yeah, well, there'll be a better kiss scene coming soon, promise. The girl talk scene I saw as Jan being able to be vulnerable among people she can trust, something she's really never had before. As the song says, "we all need somebody to lean on". Yeah, there's a distinct lack of info on how Kyle became such a strong Jedi. I'm going to try and illustrate that as much as I can without getting mired. You're right about Kyle killing the Twi'leks; a soldier following orders is essentially what it comes down to. Your little byplay there was too funny!

Manus Dei: That's definitely one way of putting it, and believe it or not, things get even messier as you'll see. I see Kyle as times a lot like Luke, wanting to stay close to the Light Side, but having that deep seated anger that can bring the Dark Side into play. Well, his shooting of the Twi'leks had more to do with… well, you'll see in this chapter.

Jelfia Maleak: You say poor Kyle now, wait'll you see what comes next!

Ovall Aocrog: Welcome, new reviewer and thanks for taking the time to comment! Don't worry about how many reviews you do or their length, I'm grateful for each one. Hope you continue to enjoy the story and I'll look forward to hearing more of your thoughts.

A/N: Looks like Chapter 27 came off even better than I'd hoped, muchas gracias to all. So now, we know Kyle did indeed shoot the Twi'leks including Vinial's mother. The question is; how will Jan handle this news? Read on and see!

* * *

**New Republic Command Ship **_**Intrepid**_

**Maintenance Hatch #14**

Jan felt as if everything had just stopped, **everything**, time, space, the universe itself. It felt as if it all had come to a halt, leaving her staring at Kyle in that moment, her eyes wide; her breath frozen in a gasp. When she finally exhaled, it seemed to take a long time, like everything that had frozen in place was slowly coming back up to speed. She looked up at her partner, her friend, and knew he had spoken the truth. But she didn't want to believe it; she didn't want to believe the words she had just heard.

"_What _did you say?" she whispered.

"It's true. I shot them," he said, a mixture of regret and sadness on his face.

Jan felt suddenly sick, her stomach clenching.

_It was true, _she thought, _all of it. Everything Vinial had said, everything Jan had dismissed as not possible, it was all true._

"Why?" she asked.

She wasn't sure she wanted to know this either, but she had to. To have spent all this time, to getting to know this man, feeling the first faint stirrings in her heart, remembering the touch of his lips on hers, the touch of his hand, the feel of his skin. How could she have experienced all this and not know he was…

_No, I won't say it._

Kyle closed his eyes and turned away, raising a fist and pounding it into near wall.

"I've asked myself a million times. Why did I shoot? How could I? They were civilians, just trying to get away and I…"

Jan surprised herself by reaching out a hand towards him.

"Kyle…"

He pounded the bulkhead again, harder this time.

"I didn't know, Jan! I swear I didn't! I know that sounds convenient, but I had no idea."

"What… happened?" she asked.

"It was supposed to be a simple mission, a knock and shock we called it. The information our platoon had was that group of known and dangerous insurrectionists were on the attack, intent on destabilizing the planetary government and setting up their own. The mission was to stop them, secure the area, and maintain the peace."

He gave a short bark of laughter. "Restore the peace they told us. It wasn't peace the Empire wanted; it was spread intimidation and as I learned later… to gather slaves.

Jan took a step forward and touched Kyle's arm, but he pulled away. He seemed to be looking up at the ceiling, but was seeing something else.

"Everything was going fine," he said, "and then that one group tried to escape. They ran right by our transport, can you believe that? Right by us. The commander ordered us to open fire and the rest of my squad wasn't ready. So I raised my weapon and…"

He turned to look at her, tears beginning to move down his face. "I thought they were insurrectionists, Jan, rabble rousers intent on destroying the government I represented. When I fired, and the first one fell, I remember she just… quit running and dropped to the ground. Once the other were taken of… I mean afterwards, I… we… my team… the commander smiled… and he told us… he said…

He buried his face in his hands, his body beginning to shake. "I didn't know, Jan! I didn't know until it was too late! And once I found out they were civies… I…"

Without even consciously deciding to do so, Jan drew close to him, reaching up to touch his face, her own heart hurting; emotions torn. She was even more surprised to realize she wasn't angry with Kyle. She didn't feel betrayed by him or see him as the cold-blooded killer Vinial had painted him to be. Something in her knew his story was the truth. What else could it be? His words had been too honest, his emotions not forced or faked, but genuine regret.

"Kyle, I…"

"MURDERER!!"

The shout reverberated in the space as loud footsteps echoed, moving up the corridor towards them. Jan looked down the hall, eyes widening.

"Vinial!" she cried, "stop!"

But the Twi'lek was not to be deterred. She had followed the pair all the way from Kyle's quarters, hiding in the shadows as they talked. She had heard the question and Kyle's response.

_I knew it! I knew it was him! He did it!_

And now that she knew, there was only thing left to do. She reached to her belt, for the items she had there and felt their comforting weight. And then she had launched herself at them, intent on a single goal, revenge.

"MURDERER!!" the Twi'lek screamed again as she ran towards the operatives, her eyes cold and hate –filled. Jan was about to try and do something when Kyle acted, grabbing her by the arms and pushing her away from him. In the next instant, Vinial struck and Kyle had no time to react, much less mount a defense. A fist crashed into his stomach, his breath expelling in a great whoosh. Barely had this registered when a second shot rammed into his chest, causing the operative to stagger. And then, as his eyes helplessly recorded it all, Vinial balanced on her right foot and kicked out with her left, hitting Kyle in the solar plexus. His pain-filled vision, grayed, then tunneled. The blows had been so quick his nerves had not yet had the chance to register any pain yet. The final shot bowed him forward and he crashed to the deck, rolling onto his side. Vinial kicked him savagely, knocking the operative onto his back. He wanted to speak, to tell her he was sorry, to ask forgiveness, possibly mercy, but his throat refused to work. Somewhere, seeming far away, he heard Jan yelling.

"That's enough, Vinial! Stop it! Leave him alone!"

But the Twi'lek was far from done. She drew a six-inch blade made from sharpened metal that flashed as the light caught its surface. And then, even as Jan screamed for her to stop, the Twi'lek drove it savagely into Kyle's chest. It was at that moment that his nerves endings kicked in and he screamed in pain. Hands still on the blade's hilt, Vinial pulled it out a little, then drove it back in. All the time she screamed, "Murderer! My mother! You killed her! Murderer!" She drew the blade out a second time and drove it in again. Helpless underneath her assault, Kyle could feel the sharpened metal inside him, slicing through who knows what. Blood spurted from the wound in his chest, splashing Vinial's face and chest. She suddenly let go of the blade and rose to her feet, drawing a blaster from her belt.

"This is the suffering _you _caused, Imperial," she said, "and now, I'll take your life like you took my mother's.

In the midst of shock, his body trembling, Kyle couldn't be sure of anything around him, but he thought he saw a blur as something moved into view. A moment later, his eyes closed and did not reopen.

Watching all this, screaming for the Twi'lek to stop, the horror Jan felt at seeing this carnage turned into a grim certainty as Vinial drew out a blaster and aimed it at Kyle.

"NO!" she screamed and ran forward.

Focused on her victim, the red-skinned alien never saw her. Jan crashed into the Twi'lek with enough force to knock her away from Kyle and send the blaster flying. The pair crashed to the deck in a single heap, struggling, clawing at each other, both wanting to get free, but neither willing to give any ground. Jan screamed in pain as Vinial's sharpened teeth bit into her forearm, but she savagely twisted one of the Twi'lek's head tails and the red-skinned alien let go. Fists and elbow jabbed back and forth as the two of them struggled against each other. At one point, Jan saw Vinial's face and felt her heat freeze. The Twi'lek's normally placid face was contorted in a mad rage devoid of sanity or mercy.

_I need to stop her, _Jan thought, _or she'll kill me and the finish Kyle._

Finally, Jan was able to plant her knees in the Twi'lek's chest and knock her away. Both women scrambled to their feet within seconds, breathing heavily and staring at each other.

"I told you!" the Twi'lek said, pointing at Kyle's prone body, "I told you he did it and you didn't believe me! Now, we see who's telling the truth!"

"Vinial," Jan said, trying to calm her, "I'm sorry I didn't believe you. But what you've done, it makes you no better."

"He took my mother's life," Vinial said, dismissing the observation, "and now I will take his. Just payment I say."

"I won't let you kill him," Jan said, "and if you had any sense, you'd realize this isn't the way."

"My mother…" Vinial began.

"Is dead!" Jan exclaimed, "And it is a _terrible_ thing. I wish it had never happened. But killing Kyle solves nothing!"

"You will not deny me my vengeance, Jan. Now move."

The operative shook her head.

"I don't want to hurt you, Jan. But I _will_ finish this, now"

"You want him? You go through me first."

The Twi'lek smiled and nodded; her blood-flecked lips making the smile look like that of an animal. She reached down to her belt and withdrew a second knife.

"Last chance, Jan. Move."

Expression hardening, the operative shook her head firmly. A second later, Vinial charged, holding the knife out. Jan tried to sidestep, but the Twi'lek saw the move and slashed out across. Jan gasped as the knife sliced through her shirt and traced a line across her stomach. Blood began to issue from the wound.

"Don't make me do this, Jan. I don't want to kill you."

"Then you should have left my partner alone."

Vinial charged a second time, and Jan moved to sidestep a second time. But as Vinial moved for a second strike, Jan suddenly crouched and before Vinial could slow herself, punched upward, directly into the alien's throat. Vinial cried out and gasped as her air was stolen. She stumbled back, dropping the knife as she reached up with both hands to her throat, trying to breathe. Jan snatched the blade up, and then backed a few steps as well. Somehow, the Twi'lek did something to her neck and then sucked in a massive breath. She did this twice more, then looked to Jan and smiled. It was the smile of a predator sighting its prey. The blaster was back in her hand and pointing right at the operative's head.

"I thought you were my friend, Jan. But I guess I was wrong."

The operative felt her vision go red at this. With all that she endured because of Vinial, the physical, mental and emotional pain; and now the Twi'lek had the gall to say this? She glared at Vinial and saw the Twi'lek's smile falter, just a little.

"And _I_ should have finished you off when I had the chance."

To Vinial's surprise, Jan leapt forward with surprising speed, the knife's edge tucked against her forearm. She slashed up and across with it even as the Twi'lek tried to back-pedal. Metal contacted metal and the resulting shock sent the knife flying from Jan's grasp even as a cut appeared in the barrel of the blaster. Vinial looked down at it distracted and was unable to mount a defense as Jan grabbed one of her head tails. The Twi'lek cried out in pain as the operative squeezed the appendage strongly and used it like a pivot point as she swung the red-skinned alien around and face first into the wall. There was an ugly sound as Vinial hit and when Jan let go, the Twi'lek dropped to the deck without another sound.

Moving away, Jan cried out as a sudden wave of pain hit her having been brought about by the exertion. Clutching her stomach, she half-walked, half-stumbled to where Kyle lay and looked in horror at the blade sticking out of his chest. She was tempted to remove it, but remembered from her medical training that doing so could cause more damage than leaving it in. Leaving it alone, she looked to his face, finding that his eyes were closed and he didn't seem to be breathing.

"Wake up, Katarn," she said.

When he didn't answer, Jan gently shook him.

"C'mon, Katarn," she said, "Talk to me."

Suddenly, Jan heard an almost maniacal laugh from somewhere behind her. She turned that way and saw that Vinial had somehow managed to rise to her feet, holding the blaster.

"I told you that you couldn't stop me, Jan. I didn't want it to end this way. We could have had something special. But I guess not. Goodbye."

And with that, she squeezed the trigger.

Seconds passed as Jan waited for the rush of pain that accompanied a blaster shot, but instead there was a loud explosion that echoed inside the space. The operative cried out as chips of metal sliced into her arms, legs and back. When that ended and she could finally stand to turn around, she felt her gorge rise. On the deck, some six feet away, lay Vinial, or better to say what was left of her. Later on, Jan would learn that the damage she had done to the blaster's barrel had caused the energy blast to explode inside of it, the resulting explosion removing most of the Twi'lek's face and upper body.

But at that moment, Jan was concerned with Kyle's condition. No matter how loudly she called or how much she shook him, he wasn't responding. Not wanting to hurt him further, but desperate for a response, she reached to his face and lightly slapped him.

"C'mon, Katarn," she said, her voice growing more concerned, "Wake up. Let me know you're alive."

She tried this twice more; hear fear growing by the second.

_This is _not_ happening, _Jan thought, _no way, not gonna happen. You're not dying on me, Katarn. I won't allow it._

Even as she continued to call his name, Jan reached for her communicator and with her fingers fumbling a little, set it to the emergency frequency.

"This… is Jan Ors. I need medical help… "

She tried to remember where she was, but couldn't.

"Trace my signal. Need… medical help stat…"

A voice cut into the line. "Jan, this is Doctor Berth. What's wrong?"

"It's Kyle," Jan said, her emotions beginning to get the better of her, "we were attacked… he's… he's not moving."

"Stay there," the physician's calm and assuring voice said, "a team is on its way to you now."

"Please hurry," Jan said, "he's not moving. I don't think… he's breathing."

"Jan," Berth said, "I need you to try and stay calm. Help is on the way. Now, you…"

No further words were heard as Jan dropped the communicator. On the other end, the doctor felt a chill run up his spine as he heard Jan calling Kyle's name, telling him to wake up. Closing his, Berth offered up a prayer for both of them.

* * *

**New Republic Command Ship **_**Intrepid**_

**Sickbay**

**The Next Day**

"And that's when I made the call on the emergency frequency," Jan said, finishing up her report on what happened in the maintenance hatch. Mon Mothma sat on one side of the bed and Security Chief Plasdan Marass on the other. Jan was sitting upright on the bed, her face animated and lively as she spoke. Aside from the large bandage covering her stomach and a few minor cuts and scrapes, she was doing well. The operative took a moment to sip from a container sitting on the bedside table, her throat feeling dry.

Plasdan shook his head. "What a mess."

"You did well to use the emergency frequency, Jan. However, I am disappointed in you."

"Mon Mothma?"

"As soon as Vinial told you about Kyle and this mission, you should have come to me. I could have had it investigated and dealt with immediately. I especially don't appreciate you going behind my back to Wineglass."

Jan nodded, chastened. "I didn't want to make this an official matter, especially given the results."

"And neither would I, Jan," Mon Mothma said sharply, "do you think I have made this situation into a public spectacle, exposing Kyle to ridicule?"

"You're right," the operative said, "I'm sorry."

"In any case," said Plasdan, "I'll need to conduct an investigation, verify the details. Although given the evidence, things are pretty much dealt with. But Jan, Mon Mothma's right. You should have reported this right away. We could've kept matters from spiraling out of control like they did."

"All right!" the operative said, exasperated, "I get it already! I was wrong and I screwed up!"

Her eyes squeezed shut a moment later and a moan escaped her lips.

"Whoa," Plasdan said, "take it easy there. No use making yourself any worse, okay?"

Jan said nothing, but nodded.

"Good enough," he replied, smiling at her as he rose from his chair. "Feel better soon."

After he had gone, Mon Mothma stared at Jan intently for a long time.

"What?" the operative finally said.

"Oh nothing," the Rebel leader said, "just looking. But before I go, Jan, there is something I want to say to you."

"I don't know if I can take much more," Jan moaned.

"You need to hear this. You know that I have served the Rebellion and the Republic for a long time. And in that time, I have seen many, too many in fact, beings go to their deaths. And too many of those were people I knew, some I even called friends."

She paused here to let the words sink in.

"Jan, I realize death is a fact of life and there is little I can do to prevent it. But you and Kyle are not only two of my best operatives, but I consider you both friends as well. There may come a time when you will not return from a mission. But in the meantime, I would appreciate if you didn't anything else to hasten that day, all right?"

The older woman looked at Jan with strong emotion in her eyes and the operative felt a warm feeling inside her heart, her throat seeming to suddenly be filled.

"I understand," she said.

"Good," Mon Mothma replied, rising from her place.

"So can I call you Mom now?" Jan asked, unable to help herself.

The older woman smiled at her. "Don't push your luck, young lady."

And then she was gone.

Jan sat back against the bed, her mind reliving the events of yesterday. So much had happened so quickly. One moment she and Kyle were talking and then, everything had gone crazy. It would have seemed impossible if she hadn't lived it.

Just then, Doctor Berth pushed his way through the curtains.

"How are you feeling?" he asked.

"Pretty good," Jan said, pointing to her belly, "but this keeps itching."

"That's actually a good sign," Berth said, "you haven't been scratching?"

"Not so far," Jan said, "but it isn't easy."

"Try not to," he replied, "you might pull out your stitches and then I'd have to start all over again with them."

"Which means I'd be in here longer?"

"Yes."

"Y'know," Jan said, "It actually doesn't itch that much now."

Berth laughed. "Actually, I came by to tell you that things look good on your charts. If I get the same results tonight, you'll be discharged before noon tomorrow."

"Thank you," Jan said, with a wide smile, and then her face clouded. "How's Kyle?"

Berth's smile faded as well. "He's recovering, but the damage is extensive. That blade Vinial used… well, let's just say it made a real mess. The real test will be tomorrow when we take him off the artificial heart and see if his own will work normally. Assuming it does, he'll be fine. If not…"

He tried off, not willing to say.

"Doctor, please," Jan said, "I need to know."

"He could die," Berth said.

Jan covered her mouth with a hand and whispered, "No."

"That's why I didn't want to say," Berth replied, "he was all but dead when he was brought in here. It's not stretching much to say it's practically a miracle he's alive at all."

"I should have told Mon Mothma the moment this happened," Jan said, "this is my fault."

"Oh no you don't," Berth said strongly, "don't you dare go blaming yourself for this, Jan Ors. The only one at fault here is Vinial and she's already paid the price for what she did. If you hadn't acted, Kyle _would_ be dead. So get anything else out of your mind right now, you understand me?"

She nodded, but not convincingly.

"I mean it, Jan, every word. Now, relax, take it easy and we'll see you later."

He smiled at her and left the room. A moment, she heard the sound of the doors to Sickbay opening, but no accompanying footsteps. From outside came the doctor's muffled voice.

"Um, can I help you?"

Jan smiled as she heard the series of beep and honks.

"In here, Wee Gee, she called.

The curtains encircling her bed billowed on one side, and then parted as Wee Gee floated in. He quickly moved to the side of Jan's bed and issued a string of beeps.

"Yes, Wee Gee, I'm fine. In fact, the doctor says I may be out of here tomorrow."

"I am glad," the droid said, "once I found out what happened to you and Kyle, I came here as quickly as I could."

"So you've heard the whole story then?" Jan asked.

The droid responded affirmatively.

"What do you think?"

"What Kyle did to the mother of Vinial was a terrible thing. But it does not justify what she did in response."

Even though these words were spoken by a droid, they were somehow comforting. Jan reached out a hand and rubbed the top of the droid's dome-like body.

"Thank you, Wee Gee," she said, smiling at it.

"For what?"

"Just because," Jan replied.

The droid processed this and then responded. "You humans can be very confusing at times."

Jan laughed as she continued to rub the droid's "head".

"Listen, can you record a message and distribute it?"

"Of course," the droid said, sounding almost prideful.

"Okay then, please begin recording."

The droid aimed its holo-projector at her and then said, "Ready."

"To Tinuviel, Nerwen and Zetton, I imagine you've already heard the story by now. I should be out of Sickbay tomorrow around noon and would really like to see you three. In the meantime, I wish I had listened to you more than I did last time. In a way, you were all right. See you soon, Jan."

When she stopped speaking, Wee Gee asked if she was done.

"Yes, and can you send that out immediately?"

"Of course," the droid said, "although it will be faster for me to deliver it personally."

"Personally? Now Wee Gee, you don't have to go to the trouble…"

"It is no trouble at all," the droid said.

She gazed at the droid gratefully. "Then please do."

The droid started to turn when she called to it again.

"Wee Gee? Thanks for coming to see me."

"You are welcome. I could do no less."

"What?"

"You saved Kyle's life," the droid said, "if not for you, he would be dead."

"That's not really true…" she began.

The droid cut her off. "Because of you, he is here and there is a good chance he will live. This is a fact."

Jan opened her mouth, but the droid wasn't finished.

"I have reset my identification systems to recognize Jan Ors as my friend and one that can be trusted. This is a fact."

And with that, the droid passed through the curtains. Jan watched it go, her eyes stinging a little. Smiling, she wiped away the tears.

_Who would have thought? _

Barely had Wee Gee departed than Jan heard the sound of the Sickbay doors opening and footsteps approaching. A blond head appeared between the curtains.

"Feel up to a visitor?"

Jan smiled at the man. "Of course, Comma… I mean Luke."

He moved into the room and took a chair by Jan's bedside.

"So I guess you've heard," she said.

"Not the whole story," Luke replied, "but enough to figure out what happened. I'm sorry I wasn't there to help."

Jan waved the apology away. "Please, it's not like you _knew_ what was going to happen."

"_Well_," Luke said, cocking his head a little, "that's not exactly. I felt a strong disturbance in the Force last night, but I couldn't discern the reason behind it until this morning."

Jan was tempted to make a comment, but restrained herself. She had heard the stories of the "power" Luke possessed, but she wasn't quite sure she believed them.

Just then, he took a deep breath and looked seriously at her. "I also came here to answer your question."

"Question?"

"The question you had last week when we ran into each other here."

Jan gave him a confused look. "I don't remember asking you anything."

"Well, not to be unkind," Luke said, "but it was written all over your face."

Faint color appeared in Jan's cheeks and she looked away, disturbed that she had been so obvious to a virtual stranger.

"You wanted to know why I was here and what interest I have in Kyle. To be honest, I hoped he would have told you himself, but it appears that is not the case. So, if you wish, _I'll_ tell you."

"You don't have to…" she began, not really meaning it.

"No, no," Luke said, "If anyone deserves to know, it's you, which is why I'm surprised Kyle didn't tell you himself."

He took another deep breath.

"So, to begin, let me ask you this. How much do you know about the Jedi?"

Jan thought about this, and then answered, "Mostly what I've read in the history journals, the protectors of peace and justice in the days of the Old Republic. They were all wiped out during the Great Purge ordered by Emperor Palpatine."

"Not all," Luke corrected, "Darth Vader and the clone troopers did kill many, but some Jedi survived, hiding themselves in obscurity on a dozen worlds, taking to the shadows and doing their best to be as unnoticeable as possible. My mentor, Obi-Wan-Kenobi, was one of these."

"That's right!" Jan exclaimed, "I remember reading about him, he was with you, that guy Han Solo and the Wookiee, Chew-something."

"Chewbacca," Luke said.

"Right," said Jan, "you had infiltrated the Death Star to rescue your sister."

"Well, that's partially correct, but it's not that important right now. The point is; Obi-Wan was only one of a number of other Jedi who escaped the Great Purge. My studies have led me to conclude that several are still alive today."

"You really think it's possible?" Jan asked.

Luke nodded. "I've also discovered a number of other Force-sensitive individuals who could, potentially, become Jedi."

Jan's mind leapt ahead and she spoke before Luke could continue.

"Wait a minute. You're not going to tell me _Kyle_ is one of these potential Jedi?"

Luke nodded.

Jan considered this for several seconds, reviewing the possibility in her mind. She thought about the lightsaber Kyle had shown her, along with the time he had tried to tell her himself. It seemed to make sense, but after a bit more time, she shook her head.

"I don't think so, Luke. Kyle is a skilled soldier and a good tactician, but a Jedi? Not likely."

"Jan," the man said seriously, "I sense your disbelief and the reasons behind it. But I'm telling you honestly, Kyle is not only Force-sensitive, but he's shown remarkable potential given his limited training in the Jedi arts."

Jan shook her head. "Look, Luke, don't take this the wrong way, but I _know_ Kyle Katarn, you don't. I've seen him at his best and his worst. He's never shown me anything like what you're saying. I just don't believe it."

"Then how do you explain his lightsaber, Jan? Or the way he can handle what traditionally has been a Jedi weapon?"

"Kyle was an Imperial soldier for some time, Luke. I know from my own experience that stormtroopers are taught how to handle bladed weapons."

Luke thought for a moment, and then said, "Then how about the time Kyle flew your ship into the hangar bay of a Star Destroyer, blew it up and emerged unscathed?"

"I read the mission report," Jan said, "and it _is_ amazing how Kyle managed to do that. But I was out cold and saw none of it."

"Then answer me this," Luke said, "why would I bother telling you this if it wasn't true?"

Jan took a few moments before answering. "I don't want to say anything against you, Luke. But maybe this sense you had about Kyle is wrong or it's someone else here. I'm not saying it isn't possible, but Kyle? No way."

Looking up at the blond-haired man, Jan worried that she _had_ insulted him, not meaning to. But after a second or two, the smile reappeared on his face.

"Well, I can see that I'm not going to convince you no matter what I say. But, if you would, Jan, don't totally dismiss the possibility. I honestly believe Kyle has Jedi potential and I think, in time, you will see it too."

She managed a nod. "I don't think so, but I'll remember what you told me."

"Good enough," Luke said, rising from the chair. Part of him wondered if he should tell Jan that he had come to the _Intrepid_ specifically to train Kyle in the Jedi arts. But as he looked at her face, he saw nothing but resistance there, and knew further words weren't going to change anything. So, after saying goodbye to the operative, he left the room and went to where Kyle lay, unconscious, hooked up to a number of machines and his chest, face, neck and stomach swathed in bandages. Doctor Berth moved in beside him.

"How is he?" Luke asked.

"Recovering," Berth said, "but his insides are a mess. If he makes it through tonight without further complications, his chances get a little better."

"But you're still worried," Luke said.

Berth nodded. "It's the heart. That blasted knife sliced through two of the chambers. I've done my best to repair it, but I…"

Luke put a hand on the man's shoulder. "He's strong."

"Tell me something I don't know," Berth said, a small smile appearing on his face.

"May I stay here just a few minutes?" Luke asked.

"I don't know, "Berth began, "Kyle…"

"I promise," Luke said, "two, three minutes tops."

Berth considered this and after several seconds, nodded.

"Thank you," Luke said.

As soon as the doctor departed, the Jedi reached out with his left hand and closed his eyes. He wasn't certain this would work, but he felt strongly that he had to try. Invisible waves of energy began to course between the two men as Luke concentrated.

Kyle Katarn floated inside the nothing space once more, his body motionless, no breath emanating from his lips, no motion in chest to indicate breathing. And then, in an instant, his eyes snapped open, the pupils moving and focusing as they took in the scene around him, recognizing the space after a short time.

_So I'm back here again, _he thought.

Gradually, as his brain seemed to wake from its own slumber, Kyle remembered. He tried to reach for his chest to feel for the wound there, but found he couldn't move. He tried moving his arms and legs, but it was as if something was holding them in place. He struggled, willing himself to move, but his limbs refused to respond.

_C'mon, _he thought, _move!_

He gave what he thought was a strong exertion, but there was no movement from any part of his body. And he also noticed that his efforts were tiring him, as if his energy was being drained away. Relaxing, he went still, trying to understand what was going on and why. It didn't make sense, unless…

_Maybe I need to rest. I _do_ feel tired._

He was just about to close his eyes when he thought he heard a sound. It was distant and tinny and at first he thought he must have imagined it, but after a time, the sound repeated, louder and closer. When it came again, his brain identified the sound.

_Someone's calling me._

This was confirmed as the sound came again, this time seeming to be practically on top of him.

_**Kyle, **_it said.

He concentrated and when the voice spoke again, he knew who it was.

_Luke?_

_**Yes, **__the voice replied._

_Where are you? I can't see you._

_**That's not important right now, Kyle. I need you to listen to me.**_

_What's wrong? _Kyle asked, hearing concern in the other's voice.

_**Listen, **_the voice repeated, _**your body is badly damaged.**_

The incident with Vinial flashed into Kyle's mind with such suddenness and intensity it was nearly overwhelming.

_She… she killed me._

_**No! You must not think this way, Kyle!**_

_But… Vinial… she…_

_**Death is nothing to the Force, Kyle. Do not allow your light to fade. Remain strong. You must live.**_

_But Luke… my body… the damage…_

_**You must not give in, Kyle! **_

It was then that the operative noticed the voice was sounding strained.

_Luke, are you all right?_

_**I cannot… remain here long, Kyle. I… have to return to my body. But do not forget… what I have said. You… must live!**_

_Luke? Luke!_

But there was no reply.

Kyle tried to move once more, but the resistance was there, still fighting him. And there was something else, something inside his mind, telling him to rest, to not struggle. All he had to do was surrender and it would all be over. It was a tempting sensation, promising him perfect rest. But then Kyle remembered his teacher's words.

_I will not give in, _he thought.

"Luke," the voice called, "Luke! Are you all right?"

The black-clad Jedi put a hand to his forehead and felt the sweat pooled there. He swayed a little on his feet and the doctor grabbed him.

"Thanks."

"Are you okay?"

"Yes," Luke said, finding his feet and wiping the sweat from his brow, "yes, just a little tired."

"Are you sure? You're sweating."

"I'm fine, Doctor, thank you. And now, I think I ought to leave and let you get back to work."

Berth watched as Luke turned and walked out of Sickbay, his steps steady and confident.

That _was strange, _the doctor thought, then shrugged and move back to his workstation.

* * *

**New Republic Command Ship **_**Intrepid**_

**Deck 2, Section 16**

**Intelligence Department Briefing Room**

**Later that same day**

"Thank you, Doctor," Wineglass said and ended the connection, turning to other two in the room.

"Well?" asked Tinuviel.

"What did he say?" finished Nerwen.

"It's like Jan said in her message. She's doing fine and should be out of Sickbay tomorrow. Kyle, however, is an entirely separate matter.

"Oh no," said Nerwen.

"Is he going to be all right?" asked Tinuviel.

The twins were sitting next to each other, hands clasped, the worry they felt all but palpable.

Wineglass looked at them for a time before answering.

"Look, I'm a bottom-line type, so understand that when I tell you this, okay?

The twins nodded.

"Kyle is in bad shape. The blade Vinial shoved into his chest did a lot of damage to both his heart and lungs. Doctor Berth has done everything he could, but it's still touch and go. If he makes it through the night…

"What are you saying?" queried Tinuviel.

"Is he going to die?" added Nerwen.

Wineglass took a deep breath and let it out.

"I honestly don't know; I hope not. We just have to hope everything goes okay until tomorrow."

"And what exactly is _that_ supposed to mean!" snapped Nerwen.

"Can't you give us a simple, straight answer?" chimed in Tinuviel.

Both twins were glaring at her with angry expressions and with her emotions near the surface, Wineglass responded in kind.

"I don't know! Okay? I don't! Considering what happened, we ought to be grateful that Kyle is alive at _all_! The doctor is doing everything he can, but there are no guarantees! Kyle _could_ di…"

The words caught in Wineglass' throat as she said this and she felt tears tracking down her face. She wiped at them and, looking over at the twins, saw they were in similar shape. The three of them stared at each other and then, without another word, the twins rose and approached Wineglass, each taking an arm and leaning against the archivist.

"We're sorry," said Tinuviel.

"We didn't mean to accuse you..." Nerwen began.

"It's just that we're both really scared…" Tinuviel continued.

"And worried about Kyle," concluded Nerwen.

Despite her emotional state, Wineglass took a moment to wonder _how do they do that?_

Then she relaxed and spoke to the twins. "I know, and _I'm_ sorry I yelled at you two. I'm worried about Kyle too."

"That Vinial…" Tinuviel began.

"I knew she was trouble…" added Nerwen.

"and right from the beginning," continued Tinuviel.

"… all she did was cause trouble and hurt people," finished Nerwen.

Wineglass could feel the twin's anger, she shared it.

"I feel like…" she began, but didn't finish the thought.

"Us too," Nerwen and Tinuviel said together.

Just then, all three of their communicators went off.

"I can get it," said Wineglass.

The twins let go of her so she could retrieve her comm.

"Specialist Wineglass here," she answered.

"Wineglass," came the flat no-nonsense cadence of Plasdan Marass,"where are you right now?"

She gave her location.

"Have you seen Lieutenants Aldarion and Undomiel?"

"Um, actually, they're both with me right now."

There was a pause from the other end and then Plasdan said, "All right then. Stay where you are. I need to speak with all three of you regarding the incident with Kyle, Jan and Vinial."

"Understood," Wineglass said, "we'll be waiting."

Returning the comm to her belt, she looked to the twins.

"You heard?"

They nodded.

"Guess we have to face the music now," the archivist said.

* * *

**New Republic Command Ship **_**Intrepid**_

**The next day**

A nearly collective sigh of relief swept the ship after Doctor Berth relayed his report to Mon Mothma that Kyle had made it through the night without any new problems and that he was planning on disconnecting the artificial heart that afternoon. Although the doctor contacted no else, the news spread as it always seemed to and by late afternoon, everyone knew. Many a prayer, hopes and good wishes went up for the operative. Jan was discharged as Doctor Berth had promised and was looking forward to getting in touch with Tinuviel, Nerwen and Wineglass. But no sooner had she passed through the sickbay doors than a security guard approached her.

"Jan Ors?"

"Yes?"

"Please come with me, ma'am."

"Why?" she said.

"Orders, ma'am," the security answered simply.

Jan fought the urge to backhand the guy right across the chops.

"Orders from _whom_?"

"Mon Mothma, ma'am. Now if you'll please…"

"Mon Mothma?" Jan parroted, "what does she want with me?"

"I don't know, ma'am. My orders were to escort her to you as soon as you were discharged from Sickbay."

"I think you mean, escort me to her," Jan corrected at the same time wondering if this guy was really a droid underneath. His inflection was flat and his face didn't seem to move.

The guard considered this and then nodded. "Yes, ma'am."

He also didn't look like he'd take no for an answer and so, Jan followed him.

* * *

**New Republic Command Ship **_**Intrepid**_

**Mon Mothma's Briefing Room**

**Ten Minutes Later**

Jan waited as the guard used the intercom to inform Mon Mothma that he and Jan had arrived. The Rebel leader acknowledged this and a moment later, the twin doors to the room slid open. Jan stepped inside and moved to the room's single table where Mon Mothma was already seated.

"Jan," she said as the operative drew closer, "thank you for coming. I know just got out of Sickbay, but there is an important matter we need to discuss."

"Let me guess, Vinial."

The Rebel leader's face screwed up in a confused expression.

"No?" Jan asked.

"No," Mon Mothma replied.

"Oh," Jan said.

"I _do_ have a report from Security Chief Marass on that matter. However, I called you here for something else."

Jan's cheeks flushed with mixed surprise and embarrassment.

"Well then… I guess… I should sit down then."

"Please," Mon Mothma said, holding out a hand.

As Jan sat, the Rebel leader activated a holoprojector. Jan watched as an image of a large industrial complex appeared.

"This is the Havexon fueling complex just outside of Baron's Hed. One of our spies intercepted a transmission that, 'a special guest' would be arriving there within the next seven days."

"8t88," Jan said, beginning to understand.

"Precisely," Mon Mothma replied, "per your and Kyle's reports, 8t88 is the only remaining source to retrieve the map to Valley of the Jedi. However, there is one significant obstacle."

"Kyle," Jan said.

"Correct," Mon Mothma replied, "I firmly believe that, once he hears, Kyle will stop at nothing to go on this mission, with no regard to his physical condition."

Jan nodded, sighing. "Oh he _will;_ no doubt about that."

Mon Mothma nodded. "Assuming everything goes well today, I had planned on putting Kyle on restricted duty pending final clearance by Doctor Berth. However, with this new report, I doubt he will cooperate."

"Oh, he won't," Jan said confidently.

"Therefore, Jan, I leave it to you to make the final determination."

"What?"

"No one on this ship knows Kyle as well as you do. You will know if he is capable of going on this mission or not.

Jan wasn't sure she liked this idea. She _did_ agree that she'd be able to tell if Kyle was healthy or not, but to make such a decision for him…

"And if I decide he needs to stay home…?"

"Then I will put every resource at your disposal to make sure he does."

Jan considered this, and then nodded.

"All right, but if Kyle can't go on the mission; what then?"

"I am looking at some possible alternatives," Mon Mothma said.

When Jan said nothing in response, the Rebel leader leaned forward a little.

"Tell me what you're thinking."

"I'm thinking that I don't really like this. I don't like pulling rank or making someone else's decision for them. Kyle deserves this chance at 8t88, heck, he's earned it."

"All valid arguments, Jan. But we must consider what is in Kyle's best interests because we both know there are times he does not."

"True," Jan said. Her face suddenly flushed with anger. "If only Vinial hadn't…"

"Jan," Mon Mothma said softly, "Vinial Druugan was a very angry and very sad person. She thought she had found someone like her in you."

"I remember," Jan said, looking away.

"Her animosity towards Kyle had its genesis the moment she identified him as someone to vie for your affections with. And then when she learned about the incident on Ryloth, all those pent up feelings came out. Nothing and no one could have stopped it."

Jan felt her eyes began to burn, her heart thumping painfully in her chest. "Why did I listen to her?" she whispered.

She heard Mon Mothma's faint chuckle. "Because you saw her in pain and showed her compassion. There is no fault in that, Jan."

A thousand protests rose up inside the operative's mind, words of blame, of condemnation and all directed at her. It was as she was warring against herself. It was only through a supreme effort that she didn't lose it right then and there. Opposite her, Mon Mothma said nothing, knowing all too well what the operative was feeling.

* * *

**New Republic Command Ship **_**Intrepid**_

**Sickbay **

**Around the same time**

Berth studied the instruments, and then nodded to the nurse and Doctor Ghynner.

"It's time. Are we ready?"

Both persons nodded back at him, Ghynner manning the machinery controlling the artificial heart and the nurse focused on the monitor hooked up to Kyle's heart.

"All right then," Berth said, "on three. One… two… three!"

Doctor Ghynner pressed the appropriate control and the bank of equipment controlling the artificial heart went silent.

Berth counted to ten slowly, and then looked to the nurse. "Anything?"

She shook her head.

The doctor counted to ten once again.

"How about now?"

"Nothing."

_C'mon Kyle, _the doctor thought, _you can't die on me. _

He counted ten once more.

"Still nothing," the nurse said.

"Blast," Berth said, turning to Ghynner, "get him hooked back up. We can't wait any longer."

Focused on the patient, none of them saw Luke Skywalker and moved to stand about a dozen steps away.

_This is the time, Kyle, _he thought, _this is the time to break free of that which binds you._

Inside the nothing space, Kyle strained once more, feeling a bit more give this time. Ever since he had heard Luke's voice, he had been testing the force holding him in place, straining against it. It still held him, but he was able to move his arms and legs in small arcs now.

_Just a bit more, _he thought.

Suddenly, the operative felt something change. The space he was floating in had been warm and comfortable, which is why he'd been tempted to simply rest in it. But now it had grown cold, nearly as cold as ice.

_Something's happening. _And on the heels of that thought came another that was not entirely from him. _Something… outside?_

And while he didn't know why, Kyle had the strong sense he needed to break free of this thing holding him, now. He strained, pushing with his arms and legs and gained a bit more ground, but not enough.

_C'mon, you blasted thing! Let go!_

He tried moving again and again felt a bit more freedom, but still not enough. That's when something spoke inside his mind, not a voice exactly; no this was more like a memory or maybe an impression. Whatever it was, the message it sent was clear. Settling back a little, Kyle closed his eyes and reached out to the Force, feeling it answer his call. In what seemed like a few seconds, the cold sensation around him disappeared. Instead, a corona of light seemed to be surrounding his body and there was sound like glass breaking. It was followed by a voice that was not quite Rahn's, not quite Luke's, but like both of them simultaneously calling

_**NOW, KYLE! **_

Feeling a sense of power filling his body, Kyle pushed himself in the direction he thought was up.

As Berth and Ghynner worked to reconnect the artificial heart, the monitoring equipment connected to Kyle's equipment displayed a single, sharp pulse followed by an equally sharp beep. Pausing in their work, the doctors turned to look at the monitor.

"Did you hear…?" Ghynner began.

"I think so," Berth replied.

As if in answer, the monitor pulsed a second time, then a third, then a fourth.

_Please, _thought Berth, _oh please._

Another pulse appeared on the monitor, then another. They began to get faster until they assumed a steady rhythm.

"Steady heartbeat," the nurse reported, "pulse is weak, but getting stronger. Blood pressure is 90 over 60."

"C'mon, Kyle," Berth said, "you can do better than that."

Seconds passed.

"Pulse is steady, heartbeat regular, blood pressure 110 over 90."

"Yes!" Berth exulted.

"We did it!" Ghynner echoed.

The two men hugged each other, nearly delirious with joy. The nurse watched, also smiling but thinking that the two men were a bit much. No one saw the smiling Luke Skywalker turn and leave. The nurse frowned as she noted a fresh change.

"I think he's waking up," she said.

Surprised by this, both doctors looked down as Kyle's eyelids trembled, shook and opened, just a little, but enough for them to see his eyes react normally. His lips parted and a dry sound emanated from them.

"Doc?"

Berth reached down and took his patients' right hand, squeezing it reassuringly."

"I'm here, Kyle."

"How…?"

"You're going to be fine," Berth said confidently, "now rest, okay? You've been through a lot."

The faintest of smiles appeared on Kyle's face as his eyes slid closed.

Releasing Kyle's hand, Berth turned to Ghynner, extending his hand.

"Doctor."

The latter happily accepted the proffered hand, shaking it firmly.

"Well done, Doctor. And you as well, nurse."

"Thank you," she said, cheeks coloring faintly as she smiled.

"I've got to let Mon Mothma know," Berth said, extracting his communicator.

* * *

**New Republic Command Ship **_**Intrepid**_

**Mon Mothma's Briefing Room**

**A few minutes later**

The sound of the tabletop comm was like a gunshot in the quiet. The Rebel leader pressed a control.

"This is Mon Mothma."

The ebullient voice of Elias Berth rose from the speaker.

"He made it."

"Excuse me?"

"Kyle," Berth added, "he made it. We took him off the artificial heart five minutes ago and his own heart starting beating less than three minutes ago. He's going to make it."

Jan's head came up, her eyes wide with surprise and her face asking if it was true. Mon Mothma nodded.

"Well done, Doctor. How soon before he can have visitors?"

"He's resting now," Berth said, "I'd guess at least eight to ten hours."

"Tomorrow then," Mon Mothma said.

"That sounds fine," Berth replied.

"Good. Congratulations again, Doctor. You have done well."

"Thank you, Mon Mothma. But it wasn't just me."

"Then be sure to pass my congratulations on to your staff. I will _personally_ thank them tomorrow."

"Understood," Berth said, "until then."

As the comm clicked off, Jan stared open-mouthed at the Rebel leader for several seconds before finding her voice.

"I almost don't know what to say."

"At this moment, Jan, I find myself feeling very much the same."


	29. Chapter 29: Vinial's Final Strike

**Kyle Katarn: The Rise & Fall **

**Book 2: Birth of a Jedi **

**Chapter 29: Vinial's Final Strike

* * *

**

A/N: Hello once again, everyone! Shanesnest here actually on time with Chapter 29! Yes, it's true. Having read the reviews for Chapter 28, I'd say it was a success. I really enjoyed some of your comments! Well, I sorta hate to tell you this (okay, not really), but the roller coaster ride ain't over just yet! As you will see, this chapter is aptly titled. But before that, I gotta do these shout outs!

Ovall Aocrog: I love the beginning of your review, mainly 'cause it's so true! The wicked witch is dead, finally! Y'know, I toyed with the idea of a poll to decide Vinial's fate, but I figured it'd give me too many good ideas! Nah, no more subplots for now, just gotta figure out how to describe the next mission in words. The Gorc and Pic fight's gonna be tricky, since it's two guys at once. Glad you liked Jan's line!

Manus Dei: Kyle might get insured, but I'd hate to see his deductible! Yeah, I figured y'all would have suggestions for her demise. Well, I'm gonna lay off Kyle for a bit and let him recover, at least until the next mission!

Phygmalion: I appreciate the compliment! Yeah, it was dark, but imagine what kinda fates others might have suggested. Believe it or not, I've considered giving Kyle his own medical droid. Heaven knows he could use one! Those two scenes you describe are some of the funnest and also most difficult to write because you want to keep the person in proper character but have the scene be "strong", if you will. Hey, for a review like this, the past criticism was well worth enduring!

Nerwen Aldarion: I could not wait to get you and your sister's reviews! I must've read through them five times just to get everything down. I knew you'd react to the chapter strongly, but not this strongly! You actually had to walk away and come back? Wow! Nah, it's okay you cheered. I actually felt kinda bad I couldn't give Vinial a more gruesome end. Yeah, I wanted to give a bit more substance to the relationship between Jan and Wee Gee. I was actually worried you wouldn't like Jan not believing Luke. But you're right, she's gonna get it soon. So I gotcha again on that other Sickbay scene. I actually didn't mean for that to be as emotional as it was, it just went that way. Yeah, Mon Mothma is another character that hasn't been really explored and I kinda like the idea that she's close to her people. I might actually have Jan called her mom one time, maybe. You've got minions now? Even more reason to fear you!

Tinuviel Undomiel: What can I say? To know I affected you so strongly is beyond what I could have imagined. And it kinda explains why I felt all these pinpricks in my back and arms, kidding! Yeah, I don' t think I've enjoyed eliminating a character this much since Blaze. Again, surprised you liked that Jan didn't believe Luke, I was sure you wouldn't like that. Oh well. Well, Jan is sure she knows who and what Kyle is. To change that picture… she's just not ready yet. But she will be. Kyle is definitely gonna catch up to 8t88 soon. As memory serves, it's the mission right after the one I'm working on now.

A/N: Well, I have to say the Chapter 28 reviews are some of my faves! Hope Chapter 29 goes just as well! Enjoy!

* * *

**New Republic Command Ship **_**Intrepid**_

**About fifteen minutes from the last chapter**

**The corridor outside Jan Ors' quarters**

Jan's feet moved her automatically forward as she approached the door to her room. She was becoming familiar enough with the innards of the once-Imperial-owned Star Destroyer that finding her quarters was little more than rote memory now. She felt nearly in a daze, the day having been filled with a great deal of emotion. Had it been only a day ago that she had seen Kyle savagely attacked by Vinial followed by the Twi'lek's own death? Even after she left the Medical wing, pronounced healthy, there was still the worry, if not outright fear, over Kyle's condition. And then, just a short bit ago had come the announcement that he would recover. Jan had sat there across from Mon Mothma for several minutes, not sure what to do with herself. She felt like laughing, then crying, then cheering, then screaming. How long she would have continued to sit there would have been anyone's guess. It took Mon Mothma's clear voice to rouse the operator from a seeming stupor and inform her that she was dismissed and could return to her quarters.

And so she was returning there now, feeling so overwhelmed by the past days' events that she was practically numb. Her footfalls faded away as she came to a halt in front of the door and pressed the control to open it. The door slid aside with the merest sound and revealed a scene that, had she not seen it with her own eyes, she would have thought was ludicrous. Her quarters had been trashed. Clothes, pieces of flimsiplast and shards of transparisteel were scattered all about the floor. Her bedcovers had been slashed and ripped apart, sending their contents spilling about the area. All her furniture was smashed and broken. Eyes wide, but not saying a word, she moved inside, the door sliding shut behind her. It took little time or effort to discern the culprit.

_Vinial._

She moved to what remained of her dresser and was able to see into the small bathroom. It too had been smashed up. But what cut the operative to the bone, what hit her the hardest were the small collection of flimsiplasts she had keep in a drawer, hidden under an old shirt.

_The pictures._

They, like the room had been destroyed, sliced cut, crumpled. The collection looked like so much used tissue laying there, the faces in them warped and distorted as they gazed up at her. And then she saw the one of her and Kyle after the Death Star had been destroyed. This one had been deliberately cut in half so the two of them were separated. And next to it was a hastily scribbled note.

"You chose him over me."

Jan reached for the pictures with hands that she had not realized were trembling. Trying to be careful, she gently took the picture of her and Kyle, trying to press the severed pieces back together only to have them fall apart when she relaxed her grip. Her legs trembled, and then buckled and the operative fell onto her knees. Her head went back and her mouth opened. Air was drawn inside and a moment later, a scream issued from it, a scream of pain, of fury, of all that happened in the past two days. She screamed until her air was gone as she was forced to take another breath. She wanted to continue, but her throat had become raw and when she tried to call out, it burned painfully, causing her to reach a hand there and massage it. A part of Jan questioned why she had done this. The walls here were all quite thick and solid, sound wouldn't travel far. But what the operative hadn't counted and couldn't know was that her scream had indeed echoed, and done so in a way she could not even conceive.

Seated in the lotus position inside his quarters and deep in meditation, Luke Skywalker's eyes flew open as he heard it. His mind took only seconds to tell him what it was and in the next moment he was on his feet and heading for the door.

In Sickbay, the unconscious Kyle Katarn also awakened and stared up at the ceiling, confused but certain that he had heard a sound, a sound of someone screaming in pain. And that the person was Jan. He started to sit up only to have two hands reach for him.

"Whoa there," said Doctor Berth, "don't you dare try to move, Kyle. I'm not letting you ruin my work just yet."

Kyle stared up into the man's face blankly, then with understanding.

"Doc, please. It's Jan. I need to go to her. Something's wrong."

"You're not going anywhere," Berth said firmly, "you're barely out of surgery, very major surgery."

"But Doc…"

"I'll call Security if I have to, Kyle. You aren't going anywhere."

Looking into the doctor's face, the operative realized the man's concern was genuine and his resolve solid.

"Can I borrow a comm then? I need to make a call."

"Tell me and I'll make it," Berth said, softening a little.

"I need you to contact Luke."

"Luke… Skywalker?" the doctor echoed.

A nod.

"Kyle, it's getting late. He might be resting."

The operative shook his head.

"You said you'd make the call, Doc."

When Berth hesitated, the operative looked him right in the eyes.

"Please," Kyle said.

* * *

**New Republic Command Ship **_**Intrepid**_

**A repulsor scooter**

Luke heard the chime from his communicator even as he silently urged the small transport to move faster. Removing one hand from the grips, he retrieved the device.

"This is Skywalker."

"Luke? I'm sorry to bother you so late. This is Doctor Berth and I…"

In the background, the Jedi heard a sound that made him smile.

"Kyle, I said I'd make the call and I made it, now…"

"I _need_ to talk to him Doc, right now."

"Doctor?" Luke said.

"Yes?" Berth answered.

"Please put Kyle on. I need to talk to him."

There was a moment's pause and then, "Very well."

More silence and then Kyle's voice came out of the speaker, a bit sleepy sounding, but otherwise clear.

"Luke, where are you right now?"

"On my way to Jan's quarters."

"So I _did_ hear it," Kyle replied, "and I guess you did too."

"Very clearly," the Jedi said, "I'll go check on her and see what happened."

"Let me know right away, okay?"

"Of course, Kyle," Luke said, "I promise."

"Good enough," the operative replied and ended the call.

* * *

**New Republic Command Ship **_**Intrepid**_

**Sickbay**

Berth took the device back from Kyle and looked down at the man, concern on his face.

"Has something happened?" Berth said, "You look like you're worried."

"I don't know, Doc. Something doesn't feel right, but I don't know."

"Can I do something?"

"I need to talk to Luke when he calls back, even if I'm asleep, okay?"

"You need your rest, Kyle."

"Doc, until I know if Jan is okay or not, I'm not gonna be sleeping."

Berth considered this. He knew he could knock Kyle out with a simple injection, but something in him felt like it would be wrong.

"All right," the doctor said, "I'll let you know. But in the meantime, try to rest, all right?"

"Deal," Kyle said, leaning back and closing his eyes.

* * *

**New Republic Command Ship **_**Intrepid**_

**Outside the quarters of Jan Ors**

Locating her room, Luke stood outside it now, trying to determine what best to do next. He considered the door chime, but worried what reaction that might provoke her. He considered knocking, but if Jan was in a bad way, she might not respond. He thought about trying something else and then smiled as an old memory came back to him

_Do or do not, _Yoda had said, _there is no try._

_I remember, Master._

And so Luke took a step forward, feeling surprise as the door slid open. And what greeted him inside showed the Jedi the reason for the scream. The room looked like someone had dropped a thermal detonator in it. Pieces of flimsiplast, smashed up furniture, slashed clothing; all of it had been tossed about and savaged. All of it cried out to Luke through the Force and almost instantly he knew who the culprit had been. His eyes caught what appeared to be another pile amongst the others, but after a moment, he saw that it was Jan, crouched on her knees in the middle of the room. She was hugging herself, hands tightly clasping her shoulders. In the Force, Luke could feel chaos radiating from her, a myriad of emotions, mostly pain mixed with sadness and regret. He carefully approached and gently touched her shoulder. Her body practically jumped at the touch and her head swiveled, the face a mask of anger and pain that softened within seconds as she recognized him.

"Luke," she said softly.

"Are you all right?" he asked.

She threw her head back and issued a loud bark of laughter. Then her face shriveled into the angry mask once more.

"Do I _look_ all right?" she challenged.

Luke wanted to say more, to do something to help her. But he could sense that he was not the one to do it. He thought of Kyle and reached for his communicator.

* * *

**New Republic Command Ship **_**Intrepid**_

**Sickbay**

"Oh my…" Berth whispered as Luke explained what had happened.

"I need to speak to Kyle right away."

"Of course," Berth said, speaking quickly, "just a moment."

He moved to where Kyle lay in the bed and was about to call out to him when the operative spoke, his eyes opening.

"It's bad, isn't it?" he said simply, but firmly.

"Worse, I think," Berth said, holding out the device.

Kyle reached and took it, then spoke into the small mike.

"Is she all right?"

"Yes," the Jedi replied, "at least physically."

"What do you mean?"

Kyle listened as Luke told him, his free hand clenching to a fist and his worried face reddening with anger.

"I tried talking to her, but she's…"

"Probably a hair's breadth from the red line," Kyle finished.

"Exactly," Luke confirmed, "she needs someone to talk to, but I don't know who."

"I do," Kyle said, "can you stay there and watch her?"

"Of course," Luke replied.

Ending the transmission, Kyle looked up at the doctor.

"I need you to make another call for me, Doc. And this is _really _important."

* * *

**New Republic Command Ship **_**Intrepid**_

**Elsewhere**

The communicator gave another loud chime and the sleeping form shifted uncomfortably. When it came again, the form moved a hand and reached out to the device. When the voice spoke it was filled with sleep.

"Yes?"

"Excuse me; this is Doctor Berth in Sickbay. I'm sorry to disturb you so late, but there is a situation that needs your attention."

"Doctor," the voice said, annoyance in its tone, "I've just come off a double shift and really don't need to deal with any mysteries right now."

There was no reply at first and the form was about to turn the communicator off when a new, familiar voice issued from it.

"It's me. I need your help."

"Kyle?"

"It's Jan. She's in trouble. Well, not really trouble, she…"

Hearing the urgency in the man's voice, the person felt a bit more awake.

"Slow down, Kyle, what's happened with Jan?"

Any thoughts of sleep soon fled from the person's mind as she heard the story. Sitting up quickly, she tossed aside the covers.

"Give me ten minutes to make the call and I'll be on my way."

"Thank you," Kyle said, "I wouldn't have bothered you, but…"

"Jan's my friend, Kyle," the person replied.

Ending the transmission, the person switched to a different frequency and called a different room. The tone went on for nearly ten pulses before another sleepy voice answered. The situation was explained and an agreement made on where to meet.

The person stood up and flipped on the lights. She'd need to get dressed fast and get going.

_As if what Vinial did to Kyle wasn't enough. Now this. Well, just hold on a bit longer, Jan. We're coming.

* * *

_

**New Republic Command Ship **_**Intrepid**_

**Quarters of Jan Ors**

Standing there, wishing there was something he could do; Luke didn't see the second repulsor scooter pull up next to his. It was only when the collective footfalls reached his ears that he stepped outside to look.

"Well," he said, surprised, "hello. And forgive me for asking, but what are you doing here?"

"Kyle called us," said Wineglass.

"He told us what happened," added Tinuviel.

"We're here to help," finished Nerwen.

The Force told the Jedi that this was the truth and that these three, of all the _Intrepid's_ crew, would be the best ones to offer help.

He nodded. "All right then. But prepare yourselves. It's a real mess."

He moved aside so they could look.

"Oh my…" Wineglass said; covering her mouth as her eyes went wide.

"It's been trashed," said Nerwen, her face gone pale.

"All of it," echoed Tinuviel, equally shocked.

And when they saw Jan, the three women knew why they had been called.

"I think we can handle this," said Wineglass.

Luke looked into the room again and then at them.

"Are you sure? She's… well, she's not good."

"We can help," Tinuviel and Nerwen said at the same time, "Jan is our friend."

_How do they do that? _Luke wondered_._

"All right then," the Jedi said, "I'll leave you to it. But if there's anything I can do, please call."

"We will," the trio said and then looked at each other as they realized they had all spoken at the same time. Then, looking back to where Jan was, they stepped inside.

* * *

Moving back to his scooter, Luke paused to call Kyle once more. Berth got him on the line in after a few moments.

"I'm guessing you called someone."

"I did," the operative replied, "If anyone can help Jan now, it's Tinuviel and Nerwen. And Wineglass is one perceptive lady. Between the three of them, they'll help her deal with this. I just wish I could be there myself."

"In time you will," Luke said.

"Thanks again," Kyle said, "I'm glad you were here."

"As am I," the Jedi echoed, and then stifled a yawn, "and now, I believe I shall get some sleep."

"I don't know if _I_ will," Kyle said.

"Remember what you said about those three, Kyle."

A sigh. "You're right."

"Oh, he'll sleep," Berth voice's interjected, "I'll see to that."

Luke laughed and heard Kyle and Berth do the same before ending the transmission. He too, wondered if he would sleep anymore tonight on not. He had sensed that Jan's soul was in turmoil. But then he remembered what he had said to Kyle and smiled.

_If I tell others to trust, then I must do the same._

Boarding the scooter, Luke headed for his room. He would meditate and in time, sleep. But not before making one last call.

* * *

Tinuviel, Nerwen and Wineglass moved inside, eyes roving over the damage, each harboring private thoughts of what they'd do to Vinial were the Twi'lek still alive. Jan was still kneeling on the floor and didn't seem to have noticed the trio entering. Whispers traveled between them as they debated about what to do first. But looking at Jan, the point quickly became moot. Without another word, they moved over and knelt, Tinuviel and Nerwen to either side and Wineglass right in front of her. Jan's head moved, her eyes meeting each of theirs before looking to the next and finally returning to looking at the floor. The three women looked at each other, wondering what they should say or do. But to their collective surprise, it was Jan who made the first move.

Slowly, her left hand slid off her shoulder and extended out, towards Wineglass. At the same time, Jan's right hand rose a bit, the fingers spread as if reaching out. The three women smiled at each other and moving almost as one, Wineglass took Jan's left hand in both of hers and Tinuviel and Nerwen reached out, their fingers intertwining with Jan's. A sound arose as the operative took a long deep breath. The trembling started seconds later and then the shoulders began to heave as Jan let the pain, the hurt, the grief, the resentment; all the emotions tied up with Vinial come pouring out.

"It's all right," Wineglass said over and again.

"We're here," Tinuviel and Nerwen traded off on saying, "we're here."

Time went on as the operative continued to sob and cry out, her body quaking. In time, the sobs quieted to sniffles and then faded away. The operative suddenly sagged forward and Wineglass caught her. She listened for a moment, and then turned to the twins.

"She's asleep."

"Good," said Tinuviel, "she probably needs it."

"I can't imagine what she must have felt seeing this," Nerwen added.

"Me neither," Wineglass said.

Agreeing that Jan should not be left alone, the three women worked together to form a makeshift bed on the floor big enough for them all. After carefully maneuvering Jan onto it, Wineglass moved to one side, Tinuviel and Nerwen to the other.

Minutes passed and then Nerwen giggled.

"What?" Wineglass asked.

"If this wasn't so serious, it'd almost be like a sleepover."

"You're right," said Tinuviel, "just us girls hanging out together."

Unseen, Wineglass shook her head. "You two are so weird sometimes."

"We know," the twins said together. Minutes later, all three were asleep.

* * *

**New Republic Command Ship **_**Intrepid**_

**Quarters of Jan Ors**

**The Next Morning**

Any awkwardness the situation might have caused was spared as Wineglass, Tinuviel and Nerwen all managed to wake up before Jan and, in unspoken agreement, began to straighten the room as best they could. Nearly all the furniture would have to be replaced and so they moved what they could into a pile near the door. They did their best to not be overly noisy, but in time, the sounds penetrated through Jan's dreamless sleep and she began to stir.

A seamless, unbroken river of black began to fade away as she rose from a deep sleep into semi-wakefulness. What sounded like voices reached her ears and she wondered at them, since the last thing she remembered was being in her room alone. But as the last vestiges sleep faded and her reluctant eyes slowly opened, Jan quickly discovered she wasn't alone.

"Hey," called Tinuviel, "she's awake."

"About time," said Nerwen kiddingly.

"Good morning," offered Wineglass.

"Good morning," Jan replied almost automatically, "what are you three…?"

Her voice trailed off as her memory caught up with the rest of her conscious mind.

"Oh," she said, looking around, "right. I remember now."

But, at the same time, the operative noticed her room wasn't quite the same and after a bit more time, she understood why. A small smile appeared.

"Thank you."

"Oh this is nothing," said Nerwen.

"You _do _know we bill by the hour," added Tinuviel, smiling.

"We also get time and a half for evenings and weekends," chimed in Wineglass.

Jan tried not to, but looking up at the trio, she couldn't keep it down and laughed.

"Well," said Wineglass, "that's nice to see."

"Huh?" Jan said.

"That smile."

"Oh. Look, I…"

"Don't you dare say another word," Tinuviel said challengingly.

"You needed help," added Nerwen, "I mean, what else did you _expect_ us to do?"

Jan's cheeks reddened and after a moment, she nodded.

"You're right, I'm sorry."

"If you're sorry, then give us a hand with this," said Wineglass, winking at her.

"Okay," Jan said, getting up. She started towards the 'fresher and then stopped, looking back over shoulder. "She didn't…"

"Afraid so," Wineglass said.

"Great," Jan said, turning round, "I'll be right back."

She was nearly to the door when another thought came.

"Who called you three anyway?"

Tinuviel looked to Nerwen who looked at Wineglass who looked back at Tinuviel.

"Well?" Jan pressed.

Wineglass shrugged. "If you really need to know…" she began.

Tinuviel moved in seamlessly, "the person who called us…"

"…was Kyle," Nerwen finished.

"Hey," said Wineglass, "that's kinda fun."

Jan stood without moving, her mind running over what had just been said and trying to figure how Kyle could have known about last night. It didn't seem possible; she hadn't seen or talked to him.

"Are you sure?"

"Yes we are," Tinuviel and Nerwen said together while Wineglass nodded.

Jan puzzled over it some more, and then she remembered what Luke had told her, that Kyle was…

She shook her head, dismissing the notion. She decided that through some unknown chain of circumstances, Kyle had somehow learned about last night and so had called Wineglass, Tinuviel and Nerwen. It didn't quite make sense, but for now she'd go with it.

"Is that right?" she said to herself in a low voice, seeing Kyle in her mind's eye. She would have to thank him, right after she found out _how_ he had done it. Nodding to herself, Jan took another step towards the door, but stopped as she heard a giggle. Turning round, she saw the twins whispering something to Wineglass.

"Okay," she said, "what are you two up to?"

Seeing her, the twins quickly moved away and put neutral expressions on their face.

"Nothing," said Tinuviel.

"Nothing at all," added Nerwen.

"Uh-huh," Jan said disbelievingly, and then focused her gaze on Wineglass.

"Well?"

At first, the archivist tried to mount a defense similar to the twins, but under Jan's steady, piercing gaze, she wilted.

"It's really nothing," she said, looking away, "it's just that these two (she indicated the twins) think you're in love with Kyle."

"Wineglass!" Nerwen exclaimed.

"You weren't supposed to tell! "added Tinuviel.

"Sorry," said the archivist, a sheepish look on her face.

"So," Jan said, keeping her own face neutral despite what she felt inside, "that's it. Well, let me tell all of you something. I am here to serve the New Republic and Mon Mothma. I neither wish nor need a man in my life. And I don't need you or anyone else spreading unsubstantiated rumors saying something different. For the record, I _do not_ love Kyle Katarn, understand? I'll admit to liking him, but that's it. He's my friend, but that's all. Understand?"

Silence reigned for maybe ten seconds before Nerwen spoke.

"We understand, Jan."

"Sorry if we hurt you," added Tinuviel.

"Me too," said Wineglass, "but can I ask one thing?"

"What?"

"If the twins are wrong about you and Kyle, why are you getting so defensive?

The twins broke out in peals of laughter and Jan, rather than get into something she'd rather not, turned back around and passed through the door in a huff.

* * *

As the door slid closed, the twins looked to each other.

"Oh, she's got it bad," said Tinuviel.

"I know," said Nerwen.

"You really think so?" said Wineglass.

"We _know_ so," the twins said together.

* * *

After finding a 'fresher in a nearby, unoccupied room, Jan showered, and dressed back in her the same clothes, though she vowed to replace them by day's end. Looking at herself in the mirror, she wondered again how one person was supposed to deal with all this. Her partner severely wounded though recovering and her quarters practically reduced to rubble. And for what? Jealousy? Jan shook her head at this, the reason seem a poor one for causing others so much pain.

_Then again, _she thought, _I just found out who my real friends are._

She smiled, thinking of Tinuviel, Nerwen and Wineglass and feeling grateful for them.

_I need to do something to show them, though. _

She looked at her face again and shook her head a second time. Both eyes were red rimmed and puffy, evidenced of the tears she had cried. Her skin looked dry and pale and her whole carriage seemed to cast an air of exhaustion.

_More to the point, just how _did _Katarn learn what was happening?_

She puzzled over this for a few moments and then after managing to pin her hair in a semblance of order headed back to her room.

"Well, you look a lot better," said Wineglass as Jan entered the room.

"Stuff the platitudes, Wineglass, I know I look terrible."

"Sorry."

"No, no, that's…" Jan held up a hand, "that's not what I mean. I just… look, _I'm_ sorry, okay?"

"Sure," Wineglass said.

"You _could_ a little skin scream," observed Tinuviel.

"And maybe something for those eyes," added Nerwen.

"Leave it to you two to bring me back down to reality," Jan said, trying to glare but smiling instead.

"What are friends for?" the twins said together.

"Listen, Jan," Wineglass said, "I need to go on duty soon, but…"

Suddenly, the archivists' comm began to chime.

"Excuse me," she said, retrieving the device and moving to another part of the room for some privacy.

No sooner had she done so than the twin's comms went off too. They answered after moving back a few steps. Jan heard of chorus of "yes sir" and "I understand" before the three turned back to her, all wearing surprised expressions.

"What?" Jan asked.

"I guess I'm not going on duty," Wineglass said.

"Neither are we," said Nerwen.

"What do you mean?"

Wineglass shrugged. "Don't ask me. All I know is; I'm off for the next 48 hours."

"Same thing with us," said Tinuviel.

They all considered this, and then smiles appeared.

_Mon Mothma, _they each thought, _somehow she found out._

"Well," said Wineglass, "given our new status, I think the four of us should celebrate with a trip to the mess hall."

"We also need to visit the quartermaster," Nerwen added.

Tinuviel nodded, looking around, "You're right. It'll be quite a list."

Jan wasn't sure why it happened, but suddenly her heart felt full and she felt her eyes begin to sting all over again. She willed the tears away. She was done with crying and feeling sorry for herself. Looking at her friends and thinking of what had just happened, the operative knew she had been given a gift and she was determined to make the best of it.

"One request?" she asked.

The others turned to her.

"After breakfast, I'd like to stop by Sickbay, okay?"

Tinuviel and Nerwen smiled broadly and then began to giggle. Wineglass too smiled knowingly.

"I just want to make sure how he's doing!" Jan protested, "Nothing more, nothing less."

"Of course, Jan," Tinuviel said.

"We understand," Nerwen added.

But from the tones in their voices, Jan could tell they weren't being serious. And though Wineglass had hadn't added anything, she had the same look.

Jan sighed, throwing up her hands.

"Fine, think whatever you want. Let's just go eat already."

A chorus of agreement resounded in the room and together, the four women left headed for the mess hall.

* * *

**New Republic Command Ship **_**Intrepid**_

**Sickbay**

**An Hour Later**

"Jan," Berth said, smiling at the operative as she entered, "how are you doing?"

"Fine, Doctor," she replied, returning his smile.

In turn, Berth greeted Tinuviel, Nerwen and Wineglass as well.

"I must confess I'm a bit surprised to see you all here. However, the patient you've come to see is not quite ready for visitors yet."

"Doctor…"

"Jan, Kyle is exhausted. He's had two major surgeries in less than a week and his body _must_ have time to recuperate."

"I understand, but…"

"Doctor," Tinuviel cut in smoothly, "we're not all here to see Kyle right now."

"We just hoped you might let Jan see him for a few minutes," chimed in Nerwen as she held up her hand, "five at the max."

"I just finished saying…"

"Doctor, we're not looking to disturb Kyle in the slightest. Jan just wants to see him, _briefly._ Please let her.

"?" said Tinuviel and Nerwen together.

The doctor looked from face to face, knowing that he was right. But…

He held up his hand. "_Five_ minutes, Jan, not a second longer."

A relieved and grateful smile came to the operative's face. "Thank you, Doctor. Thank you very much."

Wineglass, Tinuviel and Nerwen added their thanks as well and the doctor's cheeks colored faintly in embarrassment.

"We'll be right here," said Wineglass and Tinuviel and Nerwen nodded.

Nodding back, Jan moved to Kyle's bed, pushing aside the curtains and drawing in a breath as she saw him. Bandages still covered most of Kyle's upper torso, arms and part of his face. Leads from at least three different machines were hooked to him, evidencing what had happened to him. His eyes were closed and Jan could tell by the gentle rise and fall of his chest that he was asleep. Sudden emotion gripped her and it was only through a strong effort that she forced it back down, resisting the temptation to give in. She moved to the side of the bed and looked down.

_Déjà vu,_ she thought.

She reached down, not saying a word as her fingers touched his face, his hair, brushing it back a little. Then down to his hand, intertwining his fingers with hers and feeling the subtle beat of his pulse against her palm. A mental reminder popped up and told her time was growing short. To the operative's surprise, her voice was steady as she spoke.

"I don't know how you figured it out, Katarn. But thank you."

And then she leaned over the bed railing and kissed him, her heart beginning to beat faster. The emotion threatened to overwhelm once again and so she reluctantly withdrew her lips and stood up, then disengaged her hands from his and placed it back on the sheets.

"I'll see you soon, partner."

And with that, she turned and passed through the curtains, her control beginning to waver. Berth glanced up as she approached.

"He should be awake in…"

Jan passed by without stopping to listen. She saw the faces of her friends as she drew closer to them, but knew she couldn't speak, not yet. Wordlessly, she moved past them and out the door.

"Is she all right?" asked Berth.

"She'll be fine," said Wineglass confidently.

"Of course she will," said Tinuviel.

"She's probably just worried about Kyle," added Nerwen, "it'll be fine."

And then, with an exchange of looks, Wineglass and the twins turned and went after her, each knowing that Jan wasn't fine, at least not at that moment. Emerging into the corridor, they looked about but couldn't see her.

"Great," said Wineglass, "she could've gone anywhere."

But Nerwen shook her head. "Not Jan."

Tinuviel agreed. "She's too ordered."

"Okay then," Wineglass said, "then where did she go?"

Together, the twins pointed. "That way."

Unsure, but willing to give them the benefit of the doubt, Wineglass followed as the three moved down the corridor. A few minutes later, they approached the scooter depot and there, sitting on the rear of one, was Jan.

"Guess you two were right," the archivist admitted.

They smiled at her and then turned to look at Jan, who had her head buried in her hands, shoulders heaving. They drew closer, Tinuviel and Nerwen moving to either side while Wineglass crouched on the deck in front of her. They waited until Jan was able to find her voice and articulate what had happened.

"It's okay," Wineglass said, "take your time. We can wait."

"That's right," added Nerwen.

"We're here, Jan," said Tinuviel.

Gradually, the heaves gave way to trembling which soon dissipated into small sniffles. Jan seemed to hesitate on pulling her hands away.

"I swore I wasn't going to do this again. I probably look horrible," she said quietly.

"So what's your point?" Wineglass said.

Tinuviel and Nerwen stared at the archivist for a few seconds and then began laughing. After a bit more, Jan too began to laugh a little. When it died away, she slowly lifted her head and looked directly at Wineglass.

"No fair making me laugh."

"Sue me," Wineglass replied, eliciting more laughter.

Wiping tears away, Jan looked to each of them.

"Sorry," she said, "it's just, when I saw him; it all came back to me. And it was just so hard to take…"

Tinuviel and Nerwen took her arms and hugged her tightly.

"I should have done something," Jan said, "if only I'd done something about Vinial before, Kyle wouldn't be lying there. I…"

When Wineglass spoke, her voice was calm, but also harsh, brooking no interruption.

"Stop right there."

The coldness in the woman's voice caused the other three to look directly at her, curious expressions on their faces.

"Jan," Wineglass said, rising to her feet and looking down at the operative, "I want you to listen to me, all right?"

The operative nodded.

"I mean it. I want your full attention. No interruptions, no distractions.

"Wineglass, stop it," said Tinuviel.

"You're being mean," added Nerwen.

The archivist ignored them, her eyes focused on Jan.

"What happened with you, Kyle and Vinial was terrible, I don't intend to minimize that in the slightest. But you have no culpability or fault in it whatsoever."

"You're wrong," Jan said, "I could have…"

In the space of a second, Wineglass' face was inches away from Jan's. She glared strongly at the operative.

"I told you to not… interrupt… me," the archivist said.

The two women stared at each other for several seconds, a silent war of wills going on between them. To the twins' surprise, Jan was the first to look away.

"All right, I'll listen and I won't say anything else."

"Good," Wineglass said, rising to her feet again. "As I said, what happened was NOT your fault, Jan. I don't know what was wrong with Vinial, but all she did since coming here was to cause problems and hurt people. And then, when whatever deluded machinations she had inside her didn't work out, she tried to kill Kyle. I'd say she was certifiable. You can't reason with a mind like that, Jan, nor can you anticipate or outmaneuver it."

"But why?" the operative asked.

Ignoring the interruption, Wineglass continued. "Because you don't think like that and I hope you never do. Trust me, Jan; I think Tinuviel and Nerwen will agree with me that if we could, each of us would have liked to have a piece of Vinial's hide before she died."

The twins nodded.

"What it comes down to is this. You didn't make Vinial do any of the things she did. And there's no way you could've figured out she was going to attack Kyle. Heck, if not for you, he'd be dead now and that's a stone cold fact. So, for all of our sakes, don't blame yourself for what happened. You understand?"

Jan stared up at the archivist for several seconds more and then her expression softened. New tears came to her eyes.

"You're right," she said, "I'm sorry."

Wineglass' face also softened and, crouching down once again, she enveloped Jan in a hug.

"You're forgiven."

Once again, Jan felt positively swathed in her friends' affection. She closed her eyes and reached out to them, feeling their strength and resolve bolstering her own. When the archivist gently let go, she looked the operative right in the eyes.

"C'mon," she said, "we've got work to do. Your room isn't going to fix itself."

Jan nodded and, together, the quartet boarded a scooter and headed off.

* * *

Over the next day and a half, Jan, Tinuviel, Nerwen and Wineglass spent nearly every waking moment together. The quartermaster must have gotten the word because he was quite accommodating to the request for all new furniture. Jan spent a somewhat restful night with the twins, having to threaten them only twice before they left her alone regarding her feelings for Kyle.

The next day, the furniture was delivered and the four women spent most of the day setting things up and making a few artistic changes that Jan, after some resistance, admitted _did _make her quarters look a lot nicer. The only problem was they ran into was late in the afternoon when they went to get Jan new clothes. Wineglass, Tinuviel and Nerwen did their best to help, but nearly had a knock down and drag out brawl with Jan over her specific sizes and measurements which the operative was loathe to share with anyone. Fortunately, things were resolved before Security had to be called and a few hours later, the four of them returned to Jan's room with a number of packages. Feeling a bit bad at how she had reacted earlier, the operative offered an olive branch by suggesting they order in and have a meal like they had done before. The idea was accepted with gratitude and good humor, any rift that had been there now sealed in renewed friendship.

* * *

**New Republic Command Ship **_**Intrepid**_

**Quarters of Jan Ors**

**2235 Hours**

"That's it, that's it," said Tinuviel, pushing the remains of her plate, "I can't eat another bite."

Next to her, Nerwen groaned as she clutched her belly. "One more bit and I'll explode."

"Me too," Wineglass said.

"Amateurs," Jan said; draining the last of her glass, showing not the slightest sign of discomfort from the big meal the quartet had just finished.

"No one asked you!" Nerwen called and then groaned again.

"Besides," said Tinuviel, "you're a soldier. You've been trained for things like this."

"And now come the excuses," Jan said with a smirk on her face.

Wineglass was about to offer her opinion when a sound she didn't expect came out of her mouth.

"!"

Cheeks flaming, the archivist covered her mouth with both hands, a muted "Excuse me" emerging seconds later.

A chorus of laughs went up, mixed with more groans.

"I'd say that's that," Jan said, leaning back against the side of her new bed and clutching her stomach, "mine hurts now."

More laughter and then the operative's face grew serious. She looked at each of her friends.

"You three have no idea how much I appreciate what you've done. If you hadn't been there…"

"Someone else would have," Wineglass said confidently.

"That's right," added Nerwen, "another would have helped."

"And his name is Kyle Katarn," said Tinuviel.

Jan let out a load groan. "I thought we agreed not to go there."

"I had my fingers crossed," Tinuviel countered.

"Me too," said Nerwen.

"Me three," added Wineglass.

"No fair!" Jan exclaimed.

"Soooo," said Nerwen, "about Kyle…"

The conversation went on until the four women fell into exhausted sleep, no ground having been given on either side.


	30. Chapter 30: The Unexpected Partner

**Kyle Katarn: The Rise & Fall **

**Book 2: Birth of a Jedi **

**Chapter 30: The Unexpected Partner**

A/N: Sorry about missing last week, everyone. Things got both busy and crazy for me, but as it might result in me rejoining the ranks of the unemployed, it wasn't so bad. Anyways, I'm back this week with the new chapter and leading up to the Refueling Station mission. I have to admit after playing the level that describing it in words is going to be a challenge. We'll see how it goes. But, for the here and now, there's plenty going on. But before that, time for the shout outs.

Nerwen Aldarion: So you did, did you? Guess that means you liked it! Y'know, I was really worried about writing this chapter being a guy and all, but maybe I do have an inner feminine side. Who knows? I'm with you on the video game store! I used to haunt those. That and movies. Believe it or not, I've never watched Fatal Attraction, although I know the general plot. So, are you saying I've created someone even worse than Blaze? I like emotional stuff, as long as it not overdone or fakey. Hey, the author appreciates his fans, how could I do any less? Yes, Wineglass is joining the cadre! I'm imagining y'all using a mouse droid with a hidden video camera! Don't worry, I'll let Kyle be okay for a while.

Tinuviel Undomiel: For real? I had no idea that I had written it like that. Touching my inner feminine side, I guess. Yeah, I had this real clear vision of how things looked. You'll get to find out why Kyle sensed Jan's pain in this chapter. Crushed? Naw, just happy you liked it! I'm envisioning Jan as kind of breaking her shell a little and allowing others inside. Yeah, once Jan figures it out, Kyle may have to consider using Force Speed to get away!

Ovall Aocrog: I get what you're saying. I honestly had no idea I was writing in the "girly" style. You might like this chapter more than the last one. Y'know, I had another character named Blaze that was universally hated. I think Vinial might top her! Like your plan for dealing with Vinial, slow and painful! Those three getting close to Jan is something I've done cause I see Jan as having been close to no one before and now is letting people in, but it still isn't easy for her.

Phygmalion: I love it! But I think we oughta add a nail gun and then use her as a piñata. Y'know, you made me realize that a number of incidents back when I was "younger" are having an influence on my writing. I'm glad you had your friends and the Lord. You're never alone with Him. Oh yeah, the Sith Brothers battle is gonna be a major one, especially when you seen what I've done in this chapter. Thanks for the info on them. Hope your DC trip goes well! I grew up near there in a city called McLean, DC was kinda like my backyard!

Manus Dei: Hmm, might work except I'd be nervous about giving them Force powers. I have a suspicion they'd be tempted to mis-use them. Oh yeah, Jan and Kyle are so gonna get caught in time. As for Wee Gee, you'll see him in this chapter.

A/N: Well, after reading the reviews, I can see that I've got more of a feminine side in me than I realized. Fan guy or fan girl? You decide. Seriously, I'm glad the last chapter went over well. Looking forward to your reviews on this one!

* * *

**New Republic Command Ship **_**Intrepid**_

**Sickbay**

**Two Days Later**

"No."

"Doc, c'mon…"

"I said no, Kyle."

"I'm not looking to run a marathon here, Doc. I just want to get up for a while."

"And _I_ told _you_ that you need to rest a bit more. Your injuries are nearly healed, but they need at least another day before its safe for you to go traipsing about."

"Traipsing about?" Kyle repeated, "Jeez, Doc, I'm not trying…"

"Kyle," Berth said with a tired sigh, "the discussion is over. No walking until tomorrow at the earliest."

Seeing that he was losing ground fast, the operative capitulated.

"Okay, Doc. It's just that I'm getting sick of lying here is all."

"I can understand that," Berth said, "I think you spend more time here than on duty."

"Oh thanks!" Kyle exclaimed, "That helps!"

The doctor laughed. "Truth is sometimes stranger than fiction, Kyle. Now, I'm not letting you get up just yet, but you can have visitors, all right?"

"I suppose," the operative said sullenly.

The doctor chuckled. "Actually, Luke has been asking after you."

"He has? Did he say why?"

The doctor shook his head. "I'll call and let him know he can come."

"Thanks," Kyle said, "and Doc, when he gets here, can I just for a little bit…?"

Berth shook his head.

"I see. Well thanks anyway."

"No problem. I'll see you later."

As the doctor departed, Kyle leaned back against the upraised portion of the bed. He was glad to hear Luke wanted to see him. He had questions to ask his teacher. But more so than that, he wondered why there hadn't been at least one message from Jan. Berth had told him she was all right and back on duty, so why no call? The operative surprised himself with just how badly he wanted to see her. There was no doubt in his mind that she'd turn up sooner or later. But not hearing from her, especially given what had happened…

_Maybe I should call her instead. Knowing Jan, she might be waiting on purpose, teach me a lesson or something. _

Minutes passed as the operative contemplated the idea. He was just about to press his call button and ask to use a communicator when he heard Berth's voice greet someone.

"You can go right in," the doctor said.

"Thank you."

Footsteps approached his bed and a moment later, the curtain slid aside to reveal Luke Skywalker.

"Hello, Kyle. How are you?"

"Better, looking forward to getting out of here."

"I can believe that."

"I'm glad you're here, Luke. I need to ask you some things."

The black-suited Jedi moved forward and with his one free arm, Kyle reached out and shook hands warmly with the Jedi, a greeting of friends.

Retrieving a chair, Luke took a seat by the bed.

"I'll do my best to answer whatever I can. And then there's something I want to go over with _you._"

Kyle nodded. "To begin with, what happened the other night?"

"You mean with Jan?"

"Yes. I heard her, Luke. I heard her scream, but I have no idea how."

The Jedi smiled and nodded. "Believe it or not, Kyle, that's a sign that your powers are growing."

"Huh?"

"Master Obi-Wan told me once that the Force is everywhere, that it surrounds us, penetrates us and binds the galaxy together," Luke said, "part of being a Jedi is awareness of currents in the Force, particularly disturbances in it."

"Wait a minute," Kyle said, "do you mean that what happened that night was a disturbance in the Force? And I sensed it?"

"Exactly," Luke said, "although it's uncommon for non-Force sensitive people, sometimes they can create a disturbance in the Force in extreme circumstances. Jan was so overwrought that her emotions affected the Force itself. Your awareness of it allowed you to feel the disturbance."

"But I didn't understand what it was at first."

Luke smiled knowingly and nodded. "That's actually quite normal as well, Kyle. When the Death Star destroyed Alderaan, I can remember Master Obi-Wan physically reacting. When I asked him what was wrong, he told me he had felt a great disturbance in the Force, but he didn't know precisely what had happened. It wasn't until our arrival in the Alderaan system that he knew for sure."

"So how did I…" Kyle said, voice trailing off as he sought for the next word.

"Proximity, I'd guess," Luke replied, "Jan wasn't that far away, and so you sensed both the disturbance and the cause behind it."

"I think I understand," Kyle said, "and now here's the question you probably don't want to answer. What happened to Jan?"

Luke looked uncomfortable. "You're right. I don't want to answer that, but you'll know in time, so I might as well tell you."

The Jedi went on to explain the scene in Jan's quarters and what had happened afterwards. He watched as Kyle's eyes went wide and the blood seemed to drain from his face. When the story was finished, neither man said anything for a time.

"Oh, Jan," Kyle whispered, "I'm so sorry. I should've been there. This is my fault, I…"

Luke cut him off. "You're wrong, Kyle. What happened is _not_ your fault."

"But Luke, I…"

"Kyle; there is no way you could have anticipated what happened. Vinial … well, I didn't know her, but from the reports I've seen, she was a deeply disturbed person. Perhaps if that had been identified earlier, steps could have been taken. But you are in no way responsible for her actions."

The operative wanted to protest, but Luke's words were spoken so sincerely that he could not ignore them. And the more he thought about it; Kyle realized his teacher was right. There _was_ nothing he could have done to stop Vinial.

"Is she… is Jan… all right?"

"I'm not sure. Those ones who came, Tinuviel, Nerwen and Wineglass seemed certain they could help her and when you consider the fact that Jan's back on duty; it would seem to suggest that she is."

"I haven't had any calls or messages from her," Kyle confessed.

"I don't know a great deal about relationships, Kyle. But for what it's worth, there's got to be a reason why."

"I said the same thing to myself just a little bit ago," the operative said, smiling.

"Then try and be patient," Luke said.

Kyle nodded. "I guess that's it for now. So what did you need to talk to me about?"

"Well," Luke replied, "this situation has obviously curtailed our training sessions."

"Tell me about it," Kyle said, "and I was really getting into it, too."

Luke nodded. "So, since we can't continue that part of the training right now, I thought we'd move onto another area."

The operative raised his brows in question, to which Luke replied by raising his hands and closing his eyes. Seconds passed and then, to Kyle's amazement, the container he used for water lifted into the air and traveled across until it gently landed in Luke's outstretched palm. Opening his eyes, the Jedi smiled, leaning forward to place the container back on the side table.

"Interested?"

"Where do I sign up?" Kyle replied excitedly.

Luke laughed. "All right then. Now this isn't very different from what we did with the blindfold. You need to reduce, if not eliminate, any distractions and concentrate on what it is you want to do.

Kyle considered this, and then said. "Rahn taught me a bit about using the Force to run faster and how to jump higher."

"Good," Luke said, "then this shouldn't be too difficult for you. It's basically the same principle, just exercised in a different way. You ready to try?"

"Absolutely," Kyle said.

"All right then. Close your eyes first."

When Kyle had done so, Luke continued. "Now, listen to my voice. Don't think about anything else, just focus on the sound of my voice."

The Jedi waited a few more seconds, and then continued. "Visualize the container, see it, picture it in your mind."

After another pause, he added, "Now imagine it rising. See it rising off the table."

He looked to the container as Kyle's brow furrowed a little. "Don't struggle or try to force it. Just listen to my voice and do as I say."

He looked to the container again. For nearly a minute it remained stationary and the Jedi wondered if perhaps he had overestimated his pupil, but then it trembled a little. Luke watched intently as the trembling subsided, but then returned, stronger this time.

"That's it," he said, "good, Kyle. Now, see it rising. See it rising into the air."

The glass trembled more strongly and then, as Luke's eyes widened, it rose perhaps an inch or two into the air before falling back to the table and nearly tipping over. Kyle's eyes opened and he exhaled a breath, sweat popping out on his forehead. He worked to bring his labored breathing under control.

"That… was… hard."

Luke nodded. "It was for me too. You need to build up your mental muscles and then it'll get a little easier."

"A… little?"

"Kyle, the Force is not something a Jedi controls or simply gets used to using. It is a part of the universe itself and needs to be treated accordingly."

"You mean… don't… take it… for granted," Kyle said between breaths.

"Exactly, are you ready to try again?"

"Al… ready?"

"Trust me," Luke said confidently.

Kyle wasn't totally confident in the Jedi's words, but he decided he could attempt the exercise once more. He closed his eyes and reached out to the Force.

"Master Obi-Wan once told me that a Jedi can feel the Force flowing through him."

"What do you mean?" Kyle asked.

"When you are at peace, that's when the Force speaks most clearly."

Kyle frowned for a moment, then his face smoothed. "That's why you said not to force it."

"Correct. The Force isn't something you can demand to answer or blindly obey you."

Nodding, Kyle tried to relax as he reached out, calling with his mind. A sudden idea came to him and sensing that it might work, he tried it. Luke watched as Kyle, eyes still closed, lifted his free hand. A moment later, the cup began to tremble as before. And then to the Jedi's surprise, it lifted several inches into the air, and then traveled across the bed before depositing itself in Kyle's palm. As the cup settled, the operative's eyes opened and a pleased smile came to his face.

"It worked."

"Well done, Kyle!" Luke exclaimed, "That was perfect!"

"Thanks."

"You did something different, didn't you?"

"Yeah, I guess I did. I was listening to you when it occurred to me, why not ask the Force to help?"

"Oh?"

"Yeah, so I did it, at least I think so. I asked the Force to allow me to pick up the cup without using my hands. And as I did, I felt something. It wasn't exactly a response, but like… approval? Yeah, that's it, approval."

Luke was practically beaming at him.

"I guess that was right then?"

"Kyle," Luke said proudly, "you remind me of something Master Obi-Wan said when I first learned to 'ask' the Force as you just said. He said, 'You've just taken a first step into a larger world.'"

"Can I try again?" Kyle asked.

"Of course," Luke said, "but let's add something to it."

Hours passed as the two men continued to work together, Luke guiding, and Kyle doing his best to follow his teacher's instructions. Nearly three hours later, the Jedi stretched, having not moved from the chair once.

"I think we should take a break, Kyle. I need to get up for a while."

"Okay, but I'm not that tired."

"Then have pity on the rest of us mortals, okay?"

The men laughed as Luke rose from the chair and moved about the room, stretching some more.

"Hey, Luke?"

"Yes?"

"I really appreciate you coming here today and teaching me. Part of me still has trouble believing I can do this."

And with that, Kyle turned to table, reached out his hand. The cup there rose almost immediately and landed in the operative's hand a few seconds later. He was grinning almost stupidly.

"You're progressing quite well. But remember, the Force isn't something to play around with. It's an awesome power and knowing when and when not to use it is a mark of maturity for a Jedi.

Kyle's face clouded a little. "You're right. I'm just caught up in the moment here."

"Perfectly understandable," Luke said.

Just then, the curtains around Kyle's bed parted to reveal a droid carrying a food tray.

"Is it that late?" the operative asked.

"The time is exactly 1230 hours, patient Katarn, and the prescribed time for your mid-day meal."

The operative looked at the Jedi and rolled his eyes, eliciting a chuckle from the other.

"We'll train some more this afternoon," Luke said, "I'll see you later."

"Right," Kyle replied, "thanks, Luke."

As the Jedi passed through the curtains, the operative accepted the tray from the droid and watched as it began to leave. But no sooner had it passed through the curtains than he heard its voice.

"The patient is currently eating. Visiting hours will resume at 1330."

In response came an unmistakable blatting sound followed by a series of beeps.

Kyle neared laughed aloud as his mind translated.

"I am here to see Kyle Katarn on an important matter."

But the medical droid was not deterred by this in the slightest.

"Visiting hours ended two minutes three point five seconds ago. You may return at 1330 and be granted access at that time.

_Bad mistake, _he thought.

The series of beeps and whistles that he heard next sounded both angry and strained and nearly had Kyle laughing aloud as he mentally translated them.

"I will have you know I am under orders from Mon Mothma herself. Do you intend to countermand her?"

There was a brief pause.

"You may see the patient now," the medical droid said.

Barely two seconds passed before the bulky form of Wee passed through the curtains and into the room. Seeing him, Kyle couldn't hold back his laughter any more.

"Orders from Mon Mothma!" he managed to say, "I can't believe you! You're gettin' devious, Weeg!"

The droid responded with an offended series of sounds.

"Just so you know; I _do _have a message from her."

Hearing this, Kyle stopped laughing and looked at the droid.

"For real?"

"Why else would I have come here so urgently?"

Kyle studied the droid for a moment, and then said, "Y'know, Weeg, if I didn't know better, I'd think you were being sarcastic."

When the droid didn't reply for several seconds, Kyle smiled at it and then said, "All right, I'm sorry. I stand corrected, okay?"

"I should hope so," the droid replied, "I came here on important business and that… factory reject, telling me I could not see you."

"He's just following orders, Weeg."

"Perhaps," the droid responded, "are you ready to see the message?"

"Ready whenever you are."

The droid's holoprojector came to life and an image of Mon Mothma's face appeared, floating in mid-air.

"Kyle," she began, "I understand you're awake and that Doctor Berth says you should be discharged soon. As soon as that happens, I need to have a meeting with you. There have been developments with a certain 'friend' of yours."

_8t88._

"I will fill you in on the details when we meet. In the meantime, do what the doctor tells you and feel better soon."

With that, the image faded.

"So," Kyle said, "that probably means there's a lead on 8t88. I need to get out of here soon, Weeg. That tin plated menace has my Father's map stuffed somewhere in his rusted head. And one way or another, I'm going to get it back."

"Is that what I should tell Mon Mothma?"

"Are you nuts?" he exclaimed, glaring at the droid, "If she hears that, she'll keep me in here indefinitely. Look, just tell her message received, looking forward to the meeting."

"Understood," Wee Gee said, "May I ask one question?"

"I suppose," Kyle said suspiciously.

"_Are_ you all right?"

The operative didn't answer for nearly a minute, feeling his heart react to the droid's words. Wee Gee was far from being the sentimental type, but that didn't mean it wasn't concerned about him. What the droid had asked just now proved it.

"I'm going to be _fine_, Weeg, I promise. Doctor Berth did his magic once again and in a few days, I'll be back on my feet. So don't worry, okay?"

In response, the droid floated closer and reached out with its heavy arm to gently pat Kyle on the head. Then it beeped something.

"I have not stopped worrying since you reactivated me."

Kyle rolled his eyes. "Jeez, Weeg, you're worse than Jan, you know that?"

At the mention of her name, Kyle was reminded of his not having heard from her.

"Listen, Weeg, one last thing before you go."

"Yes?" the droid asked.

"Have you see Jan recently?"

"Yes."

"Is she okay?"

"As far as I can tell, yes. I have greeted her more than once and she has acknowledged my greeting. However…"

"What?" Kyle asked, beginning to worry.

"She seems… preoccupied. She is quite perfunctory in her conduct, but it does not seem… normal to me."

"You think she's putting on a face, then?"

"I do not understand."

"A face, a false front, smiling when she's not happy."

"Yes," the droid said, "that is exactly how it appears."

Kyle considered what Luke had told him about her quarters and wondered if that something to do with what Wee Gee had just said.

"Do you want to record a message for her?" the droid offered.

Kyle considered this, but then shook his head.

"No, I'd rather talk to her in person. Just tell her say I say hi, okay?"

"Very well," the droid said.

Once Wee Gee had gone, Kyle settled back against the bed, mind whirling, wondering what was wrong with Jan.

_If she wanted to talk, she could have come by. Luke knew I could have visitors today, so she should've known too._

Plus, there was the fact that _he_ wanted to see _her._

_No, I won't force her, _he decided, _I'll just try and be there for her, if she wants._

He marveled once again how perplexing and complex women were, especially the one named Jan Ors.

* * *

Two more days passed, ordinary and peaceful. Luke and Kyle spent as much time as they could training while the operative was still in Sickbay. Luke continued to be impressed and praised the operative as he progressed to more complicated tests, sometimes faltering, but never quitting.

"You're getting stronger, Kyle," he said at one point, "and very quickly too. I can see Master Rahn and Master Obi-wan were right about you."

"Must be because I've got a good teacher," the operative returned.

Luke took the praise in good stride, privately wondering if he _was_ doing well. Each day he remembered Obi-Wan's warning about when he had trained Anakin Skywalker. "I thought I could teach him as good as Yoda would. I was wrong." Luke knew all too well the temptation and lure of the Dark Side. The last thing he wanted was to see Kyle go that route. But, when he brought it up the afternoon of the second day, he was surprised to learn that Kyle had already had his share of struggles with the Dark Side and knew quite well its solicitous, siren call.

"I can remember how it felt," Kyle said, "the ease of it, the promise of power, the feeling of invincibility."

"As have I," Luke said.

"But when I looked beyond the veil, as it were, all I saw was… I don't know… it was like…"

"An all consuming emptiness without a shred of joy or happiness."

"That's it!" Kyle said, snapping his fingers.

They continued to discuss the dangers of the Dark Side and how to use the Light Side to keep the temptation at bay. By the time Luke left later that day, Kyle felt washed out and tired, but also happy. He felt like he was progressing well, and he was enjoying having someone to talk to about these things.

* * *

**New Republic Command Ship **_**Intrepid**_

**Sickbay**

**The Next Day**

**0800 Hours**

"You're serious?" Kyle asked.

"Why wouldn't I be?" replied Berth.

"C'mon, Doc, don't tease me like that. Is this for real or not?"

"Your tests are all good, and except for those stitches in your chest your wounds are all healed. You tell me, Kyle."

"So I can finally get out of here?"

"Well," Berth said, "there is the matter of your bill."

"Doc!"

Berth laughed aloud. "Gotcha. Seriously, Kyle, you're in as good a shape as I can make you. So get out of here, I need the bed."

Kyle sat bolt upright and slipped his legs out from under the covers. He started to slide down when he remembered one important thing.

"Um, Doc, do I have…"

"Right here," Berth said, handing Kyle clothes that Wee Gee had delivered the previous day.

"Thanks," the operative said, putting them on.

When he had finished, Kyle sighed happily. "That feels much better."

"So what are you saying? My gowns are no good?"

"After this much time, no."

"Why you…" Berth began.

"Gotcha back," Kyle said and the two men laughed.

"Seriously, doc," the operative said as his boots touched the floor and he stood up, "thanks for everything."

"Just doing what I do best," said Berth.

Kyle raised an eyebrow at him. "Right, Doc. Like bringing me back from the dead? Yeah, I'd say you've done your share."

"Wait a minute," Berth said, "how'd you know?"

The operative sighed. "Doc, I was still semi-conscious when Vinial shoved that knife into me. I felt it both times she pulled it out and rammed it back in. And given where it felt like it was and everything going black a few seconds later, it's wasn't hard to figure out."

Berth looked at the younger man, surprised at his deductive skills.

"Well, the main thing is, you're all right now."

"No," Kyle said, "the main thing is, I owe you my life, Elias. And I'm grateful."

Berth felt his heart swell with emotion as he smiled at the younger man.

"Then do me one favor?"

"Name it," Kyle said.

"Don't let it happen again."

"I'll do my best, Doc. But no promises."

The two men shook hands warmly and with another grateful sigh, Kyle left Sickbay, reaching for his comm as soon as he passed through the doors.

"This is Mon Mothma," came back the reply.

"It's Kyle. I just got out of Sickbay."

"Good, I'm glad to hear that."

"Me too, should I head over now?"

"Have you eaten anything yet?"

"Well… no," the operative, his stomach choosing that moment to rumble.

"Go have breakfast first," the Rebel leader said as if scolding him, "once you're finished, contact me. Understood?"

"Understood," Kyle replied.

"Good, Mon Mothma out."

Returning the comm to his belt, Kyle suffered through another rumbling of his stomach.

"Okay, okay, we're going," he said.

* * *

**New Republic Command Ship **_**Intrepid**_

**Mess Hall**

**0820 Hours**

As luck would have it, Kyle found a sort of reception awaiting him when he entered the room.

"Well, looks who's finally emerged from the ether," called a familiar voice.

Kyle looked and saw his friend, Caston Droum looking from where he was seated at one of the tables. With him were Chief Brolly, Atarn Daman, Mach Farcon, Bjrn Fallqvist and Dav Flamerock. To the operative's supreme embarrassment, the men began to clap and as curious eyes turned to look, more hands joined until it became nearly a din. Feeling his cheeks warm, Kyle crossed his arms and stood there, shaking his head. Seeing this, several of the initiators began to laugh.

When the applause died away after a short time, Kyle moved towards the table, taking the seat next to Caston. He glared at each of the men assembled there.

"Y'know, with friends like you guys, who needs enemies?"

Laughter rippled across the table.

Caston threw an arm across the operative's shoulders and half-hugged him. "Seriously, Kyle, we're all glad to see you. You feeling okay?"

"Well… I _was_ feeling all right…"

With his free hand, Caston reached to the top of Kyle's head and drove two fingers in, not hard, but enough that the operative felt it. He jerked away.

"Hey! Quit it! Ouch!"

"Aw," Caston cooed, "does da wittle baby have a boo boo?"

Kyle glared at him a moment, then smiled. "Like I said, with friends like you…"

"C'mon, Kyle," said Dav Flamerock, "he's just kidding."

"Exactly," added Bjrn Fallqvist, "we _really_ were worried."

"He's right," Caston said, his expression growing serious, "we _were_ worried."

"Well, worry not," Kyle said, "Doc Berth fixed me up and I'm doing just fine. Heck, I'm just glad to be out of Sickbay."

"You do spend a lot of time there," said Atarn Daman.

"Maybe you oughta move in," added Mach Farcon.

"And," chimed in Brolly, "you always manage to somehow damage, if not outright destroy, my shield on _every_ mission."

"Hey!" Kyle protested, "The operative is only as good as his equipment."

"Oh," Brolly said, his face morphing into an "oh yeah?" expression, "so it's my fault now?"

"Well, if the shoe fits…"

"Why you… you… you…"

"Easy boss!" said Mach Farcon.

"You're gonna blow a gasket or something," added Atarn Daman.

"Y'know, Kyle," said Caston, "there are five of us and one of you."

"Yeah? So?"

"So how'd you like to return to Sickbay via the express lane?"

For a moment, the operative thought his friend was serious, but then Caston's serious face fell apart and he laughed loudly.

"You are _so_ easy!" he managed to say as the rest laughed.

"Okay, okay," Kyle said, holding up both hands, "mea culpa. I give."

He turned to look at Brolly.

"Hey, Chief?"

"What?" came back a cold reply.

"I _do_ appreciate having the shield. I wouldn't have made it back alive from the last mission without it, seriously."

For a moment, Brolly stared at the operative and then a small smile came to his face.

"All right then."

"I mean it, Chief," Kyle said gravely.

"C'mon boss," said Atarn Daman.

"He's serious," added Mach Farcon.

The triple wave of pressure finally caused the weapons tech to smile widely and chuckle a little.

It was then Kyle noticed that none of the men had trays in front of them.

"You guys haven't eaten yet?"

"We were about to," Caston said, "and then this troublemaker walked in."

"Really?" Kyle said, looking about and then returning his gaze to Caston, "Where?"

This set the whole table laughing anew and then, in collective agreement, the men rose from their places and got in line. Returning to the table after a few minutes, a toast was given in honor of Kyle's return and then the men fell to their meals. As time passed and new conversations started up, Kyle realized how good it felt to do something as simple as this.

_Now if I can just catch up with Jan_, he thought, _the day would be even better.

* * *

_

**New Republic Command Ship **_**Intrepid**_

**Bridge **

**0830 Hours**

Jan refocused her attention on her console.

"I said I'm busy, Wee Gee."

"I only wish to pass along a message," the droid repeated.

"I know," Jan said, "you've said that at least ten times. And I've tried to explain to you that I'm on duty and can't talk right now. What part of that don't you understand?"

"Most of it," the droid replied.

Jan turned to fix a strong glare on the floating automata, but it seemed to have little, if any, effect.

"Then see if you understand this. I am working right now and need to focus on what I'm doing. I don't have time for idle chatter. If you've got something to say to me, wait till I'm off duty, all right?"

The droid processed this for a number of seconds and then replied.

"I do not understand, but I will comply."

_Finally! _Jan thought.

"May I ask one final question before leaving?"

"What?" Jan said coldly.

"I do not understand your anger. Have I done something wrong?"

This brought the operative up short. It was a simple question and yet, she had no answer for it.

_I'm not angry, am I?_

Again, she had no answer. But the longer she stared into the droid's photoreceptor, the more uncomfortable she became.

"I have to get back to work," she finally said, turning away.

Wee Gee floated there a few seconds longer, then turned and headed for the exit, its logic systems running scenario after scenario, trying to determine what was wrong with Jan and why she was angry. The situation did not make sense.

When she heard the doors slide shut, Jan paused in her work and stared down at her console. She felt almost sick and not a little irritated with herself for she had treated Wee Gee.

_He _just_ came here to deliver a message. And I acted like… _

She didn't understand why she had acted the way she had. But at the mention of Kyle's name, the anger had arisen, so sudden and strong as not to be denied.

_But why would I be angry with Kyle? He hasn't done anything stupid, well at least not recently. So why then?_

No answer came and finally, before her frustration got out of hand, the operative returned to her work, putting aside the incident and instead focusing on the analysis she was compiling.

* * *

**New Republic Command Ship **_**Intrepid**_

**Mon Mothma's Briefing Room **

**0945 Hours**

"Welcome back, Kyle," the Rebel leader said.

"Thank you," he said sincerely.

"Are you feeling well?"

"Yes ma'am," he said.

"Good," she said, her face softening a little, "you had many of us worried about your condition."

"I can imagine," Kyle replied.

"If you're up to it, I want to go over the incident with Vinial as well as your mission report. But before that…"

"Just then," the door chime sounded.

"Ah, he's here."

She pressed a key on the recessed panel and into the room stepped Luke Skywalker.

"Good morning, Mon Mothma," the Jedi said, moving to the table. "Kyle, good to see you up and around, how do you feel?"

"Much better," the operative said, smiling at the other man, "but what are you doing here?"

"I've asked Luke to be here to listen to your debriefing, Kyle. I'd like to get his take on it and see if we can come up with a way to get you back from a mission without an immediate visit to Sickbay."

"It's not like I _want_ to be there," the operative said defensively.

"Of course not," Mon Mothma answered, "but given your history, I am concerned that your next mission is going to be your last. And I'd like to avoid that if at all possible."

"Me too," Kyle said.

"Good, then let's get down to it."

Kyle began by describing the scene where Jan had dropped him off at the large circular pool.

"I don't think anyone detected me. But the place was full of guards."

He went on to describe his infiltration of the outer perimeter of Barons Hed and eventual penetration into the Imperial Base itself. More than once Luke looked at him with an expression of mixed surprise and horror. Kyle could only imagine what the Jedi was thinking. An hour and a half passed as the operative continued, describing the Kell (not Krayt) dragon he had faced and the new weapon he had found. When he got to the part with the oversize fan system, Mon Mothma held up a hand.

"What possessed you to try that jump across to the other side?"

Kyle shrugged.

"There was nowhere else to go. It was either make the attempt or let Jan come into a hornet's nest of laser turrets to try and pick me up."

"I gather things went poorly," Luke said.

"Worse than worse," Kyle said, explaining how he miscalculated how fast he was moving and what that did to the subsequent impact.

Mon Mothma's went wide and Luke visibly flinched.

"I'm amazed you lived through that," the Rebel leader said.

"You're not the only one," Kyle said, "just trying to move was pure agony."

He continued, going through his attempts to reach the lower chamber and finding the lift that had brought him up to the roof where he watched as 8t88's shuttle took off.

"I tried firing on it, but that blasted droid had already activated the shields. And that was pretty much it. I lost consciousness soon after Jan arrived."

Silence reigned for a few seconds.

"Your thoughts, Luke?"

"Frankly, I'm amazed you're here talking to us, Kyle. I doubt a fully trained squad of commandos could have completed this mission. If there's any criticism I have, it's that you seem to rush in at times when caution might be the better choice."

"Luke…"

The Jedi held up a hand.

"I realize it is easy for me to say this, especially since the mission is complete. I think the main thing Mon Mothma wants to get across to you Kyle is that you've got to work harder on protecting yourself on missions so you don't come back half dead."

"Not exactly what I was planning to say," Mon Mothma said, "but close enough."

"Look," Kyle said, "I agree with both of you. I'm just not sure how to do what you're asking. So much of what happens on my missions is on the fly, a lot of times I have to make it up as I go along."

Mon Mothma nodded at this, adding, "I can understand that. But surely there is something that can be done."

"Maybe I can talk to Chief Brolly about improving the shield and body armor," Kyle ventured.

"A good idea," Mon Mothma said.

"How about training?" Luke asked, "hand-to-hand, close quarters, weapons?"

"What about Restall and Plana?" Kyle asked, "They're both in security and could probably…"

"Unfortunately," Mon Mothma said, interrupting, "they are both away on assignment right now."

"Oh."

"Kyle and I can brainstorm something else," Luke said.

Mon Mothma considered this, looking to the operative once again.

"Kyle, the reason I am so concerned about this is twofold. First and foremost, I am honestly concerned about you returning safely from the next mission. Secondly, our agents believe they have located 8t88."

"What!" the operative exclaimed, nearly rising from his chair, "where?"

In response, the Rebel leader pressed a control and the holoprojector came to life. Kyle watched wordlessly as a grainy image appeared, resolving itself until it showed a collection of massive pipes, a number of oblong buildings and a single, rather massive ship.

"This is footage from a spy droid at the Crimson Onyx Refueling Station outside of Barons Hed. Now watch closely."

An object flew into a view, moving towards the large ship. It took Kyle only a moment to identify the smaller vessel.

"8t88's shuttle."

"Yes," Mon Mothma confirmed, "we're not quite sure why 8t88 has come to this place. But intercepted transmissions _have_ indicated some sort of rendezvous somewhere on the station. Where and when we are not sure."

"Please tell me he hasn't escaped from there already," Kyle implored.

Mon Mothma shook her head. "Aldarion and Undomiel have been working with a plant inside the station to, as they put it, 'muck up the works'. As such, 8t88 and the shuttle have been impounded for further inspection."

_Nice work, you two, _Kyle thought.

"As things stand," Mon Mothma said, "I am considering sending you to the refueling station to locate and capture 8t88. However, until I am convinced that you have a plan to return from this mission in one piece; things are on hold."

"Mon Mothma," Kyle said firmly, "please send me right away. I know I can find that buckethead and get the map back."

She shook her head. "I don't doubt your ability or commitment, Kyle. But after what happened at Barons' Hed..."

"This isn't the same thing," he argued, "I was walking into the teeth of an Imperial Base at Baron's Hed. This fuel station won't have near as many guards. Besides, once I get in…"

She shook her head. "Not until I'm convinced of your survivability on this mission, Kyle."

"I'll have the shield and the armor," he said, "They'll be enough."

"They haven't been so far," she countered.

"But I'm getting better with them," he returned, "I know it'll work. Please Mon Mothma, I…"

"I'm afraid not, Kyle," she said firmly.

"Excuse me?"

The operative and the Rebel leader turned to look at Jedi.

"Yes, Luke?"

"I have an idea."

"Yes?"Mon Mothma asked.

"You're right about needing a plan so that Kyle comes back from this mission safely. I hadn't mentioned it before, but Kyle and I have been training together."

Mon Mothma stared at the Jedi with an incredulous expression.

"Since when?" she asked.

"Shortly after I came aboard," Luke replied.

"And why wasn't I informed?"

The Jedi shrugged. "It didn't seem necessary at the time. I was mainly helping Kyle to boost his strength and stamina."

The Rebel leader gave him a look that said she didn't quite believe this.

"Are you saying that _you_ will train Kyle?"

Luke nodded.

The Rebel leader seemed unsure. "I don't feel very comfortable with this. You are a skilled pilot, Luke, but you're not a soldier."

"But Kyle _is_," the Jedi countered, "I'm just helping him to hone the skills he already has."

"And you think you can train him sufficiently well to tackle this mission?"

"How long do I have?" he asked.

"Less than a week."

Now Luke was the one who looked uncomfortable. "Well, that puts a different light on things. Less than a week is really not long enough."

"Luke…" Kyle began.

The Jedi held up a hand.

"So, with your permission, Mon Mothma, I'll accompany Kyle on the mission."

The room became so silent a dropped pin would have echoed.

The Rebel leader stared at the Jedi with an expression of complete incredulity.

"Excuse me?" she finally managed to say.

"I think I should accompany Kyle on this mission," Luke repeated.

"Luke, forgive me, but you're not trained for a mission like this."

"But I _am_ a Jedi Knight."

"Given," Mon Mothma said, "however, your experience with ground engagements is… shall we say limited at best?"

"I agree," Luke said, "and that's where Kyle expertise and experience will come into play."

"I don't think…"

"Forgive me for interrupting," Luke said, "but I feel confident this will work. I can both train and protect Kyle as he works to find this 8t88. Our skills will compliment and, I think, keep both of us safe."

"Still…"

"You wanted a solution, Mon Mothma," Kyle added.

"You agree with him?" she challenged.

"I've already seen that I can trust Luke in our training sessions. And with his Jedi abilities, I think having him along will be a real asset."

Several seconds passed as Mon Mothma contemplated the request and what the two men had said. Finally, she looked at them both and said, "I still don't feel completely comfortable with this, but my instincts say you might be right."

She nodded. "Very well then. Luke, you will accompany Kyle on the mission and do your best to ensure his safety. Kyle, your objective will be to infiltrate the fuel station, find 8t88 and retrieve the map by whatever means necessary."

"I understand," Luke said.

"I'll take care of it," said Kyle.

A knowing smile crossed the Rebel leader's face. "There is one additional caveat."

Kyle fought not to groan while Luke asked, "What is it?"

"You are not under my command, Luke. If I am to assign you to this mission, you'll need to get permission."

"Permission?" he said, not exactly sure what was meant but figuring it out a few seconds later.

"Ah yes, you're right."

"Assuming you get the go ahead, I want you and Kyle to go over the data we currently have and drawn up a plan for the mission. I'll want to review at least a day before you deploy."

"We'll get it done," Kyle said confidently.

"No so fast," she said, "I expect _you_ to inform Jan, Kyle."

He shrugged. "No problem."

"Then I will leave you to it, gentlemen. Dismissed."

Luke and Kyle rose from their chairs and the operative accompanied the Jedi outside where the latter blew out a breath.

"What's wrong?"

"Nothing really," Luke replied, "I'm just not looking forward to what I need to do."

"You just have to get permission from your superior, right? That can't be _too_ hard."

"What about Jan?"

Kyle waved a hand. "She'll understand, once I explain things to her.

Luke raised an eyebrow. "You might be surprised, Kyle."

* * *

A/N: How's that for a cliffhanger? I know, I'm bad. A quick note to everyone. I'm ending this part with Chapter 30. Stay tuned for the continuation of the story in Part 2!


End file.
